England Boxing is set to launch a series of free 30-minute online mental health awareness sessions called ‘Box In Mind Bitesize’.

It will take the popular three-hour course that is normally attended in person and repackage it so it can be easily accessed during the Coronavirus outbreak.

The original Box In Mind course was piloted last February in London and has since been successfully rolled out across the country.

The course content, put together with assistance from Mental Health Charity Mind, aims to increase awareness around mental health problems within boxing clubs.

It also gives guidance on how to spot the signs that someone is encountering problems with their mental health, and explains what they can then do to get that person the

right help.

Box in Mind’s switch to online comes as Mental Health Awareness Week is in full swing, with England Boxing supporting this year’s ‘Be Kind’ theme.

Bitesize will be run regularly by the Box In Mind tutors and will be fully interactive.

“Due to the Coronavirus, all Box In Mind courses to be attended in person have been postponed until September 2020, exactly when the strain on people’s mental health is at its greatest because of the unique circumstances we find ourselves in,” said Lynette Mayo, England Boxing’s lead on Mental Health.

“That’s why we are so determined to get an online version up and running as quickly as possible, ensuring that the valuable content is still available to members at such a crucial time.

“One in four people encounter mental health problems at some point in their lifetime, meaning pretty much everyone will know someone affected. Hopefully this course will help our members get a better understanding – and potentially get help for people who may need it.”

Sessions will be made available in the near future and will be bookable online. People can email boxinmind@englandboxing.org to register their interest.