Milltown GAA Healthy Club Project
As part of our ongoing efforts to make Milltown GAA a place for everyone, we have embarked on an Healthy Club project. The Healthy Club Project (HCP) aims to champion the deeper values associated with the GAA: those of community, identity, volunteerism, inclusivity, health and wellbeing, and the opportunity to express oneself across the lifespan regardless of perceived abilities.
We have developed two foundation documents as part of journey for healthy club status, which are:
1. Milltown GAA substance abuse policy (accessible here) and
2. Critical incident response plan (accessible here)
The physical centrepiece of this project for Milltown GAA was the development of a community fitness suite in our club grounds at Sean Doolin park. In the winter of 2022/23, the club embarked on a development project for this facility. Our players, supporters, members and the wider community will hopefully see the health and wellbeing benefits from this facility for years to come. For those interested in how the project developed, see some of the early stages of our development work in photos here, We hope you will agree, we have come a long way from the blank canvas that we had below in Q4 2022!
Gym under construction - November 2022
Concept drawing of the fitness suite developed for the committee in Q3 2022
Milltown men's squad taking a yoga session in the gym in Q2 2023
One of the fundraising initiatives over Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 to enable our plans to come together
The Healthy Club project is an exciting partnership from the GAA and involving a wide variety of stakeholders including Healthy Ireland, the HSE, the National Office for Suicide Prevention, the Dept. of Health and Irish Life. It is designed to increase GAA clubs’ ability to support healthier lifestyle options for our communities, and in doing so enhance our positive influence in their communities.
One other measure the Milltown club brings to our community annually is an initiative in January called the 'Every Step Counts' challenge. This challenge encourages friends, club members and neighbours aim towards our a combined goal of 4000km over the course of 5 weeks.
To take part, people simply had to follow these steps, which will be repeated annually in January, in conjunction with our 'Ireland Lights Up' walking track initiative at Sean Doolin Park. Here's how to participate:
STEP 1: In December, DOWNLOAD MYLIFE
From the App Store or Google Play Store (search for 'MyLife' in the app stores)
STEP 2: JOIN THE CHALLENGE
Get ready to join your province & club team
TAP Social > Challenges > Pending
TAP Leinster GAA - Every Step Counts > Your Club
Irish Life Healthly Clubs Steps Challenge
The journey towards official recognition as a Healthy Club was an 18-month cycle. Along the way a Healthy Club Project team is established with training and support provided by the Community & Health Department in Croke Park, and locally by their respective County Health & Wellbeing Committees.
Milltown GAA has engaged with our members and the local community to identify priority areas upon which to focus, and popular areas included mental health such as the Movember AOTG initiative in November 2023 (see picture below and link
here for more).
We actively encourage healthy eating options after some team training sessions and are currently seeking to become a smoke/vape free club at our grounds Sean Doolin Park Milltown.
In Q4 of 2022 through to Q1 of 2023, we encouraged physical activity for non-playing members through our 'Men on the Move' initiatve in conjunction with Westmeath Sports Partnership by engaging members of the community over 35 years old.
We have had special guest speakers in the clubhouse to complete a workshop on drug, alcohol abuse in February 2024. Gauging interest from our community through all forums and a simple online engagement
survey, this workshop was an informative, engaging and educational talk on numerous aspects of substance abuse and on the health and wellbeing dangers of illegal drugs consumption.
The Healthy Club committe are always seeking new and innovative ways to allow for greater inclusion and integration of all members of our community to participate in our club and community activities, and if you have any ideas or suggestions for our healthy club initiative, we would always be delighted to hear from you.
Pictured in November 2023 when Movember AOTG ambassadors visited Sean Doolin park, from left to right Paul Heduan, Bob Beswick, Jennie Rodgers, Muireann Scally, Johanna Maher, Ryan Jones
Other MAOTG tutors who visited but missing from this photo were Mary-Kate Lynch, Corey Scahill, Enda Macken and Mickey Quinn.
To assist them in achieving their goals, the Healthy Club project team also sought meaningful partnerships both within own men's football club club (with, for example, players, coaches and parents) and in our wider community (with local schools, statutory bodies, charities, other Milltown community groups, etc.).
In October 2023, Milltown were pleased to announce that we have been awarded a 'Foundation' Healthy Club status award. This is in recognition of our ongoing efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle choice to our members, supporters and wider community. As outlined above, the center piece of our efforts over the previous year had been our fitness suite in our club house, which is now open to ALL OUR COMMUNITY to join. For information on joining see link
www.rebrand.ly/GymRulesandRegs and for more info on our healthy club project, see
www.healthyclubs.gaa.ie/
The Healthy Club project is helping to further embed the position of GAA clubs at the heart of their communities and Milltown will look forward to continuing to grow and expand the many positive impacts of the healthy club project in the coming months and years.
Receiving the Healthy Club award in October 2023 are Milltown GAA's Ben Walsh Smith and Tom Walsh
Ben and Tom, along with other Westmeath GAA clubs recieving Healthy Club status - October 2023
As per above, in February 2024, with the assistance of the GAA and the Midlands Regional Drug and Alcohol task force, Milltown hosted a workshop on alcohol, drugs and substance abuse under our Healthy Club initiative. At this workshop, the Healthy Club committee offically launched our clubs 'substance abuse policy', which can be accessed here. The Healthy Club Committee have also developed a We look forward to bringing more events like this to our club and community and again, we will always welcome feedback and suggestions on all these initiatives. Go raibh mile maith agaibh!
Promotion of our Substance Abuse Workshop and view our substance abuse policy
Milltown and our efforts towards the Healthy Club project is indebted to the Department of Rural and Community Development, POBAL and other government support for the initial kick start funding received from the Community Centre Improvement fund, go raibh míle maith agat.
*Press Release* Milltown GAA extends sincere gratitude to Movember, GAA and GPA for Empowering Youth Mental Health
'Ahead of the Game' Initiative Makes Strides in Mental Health Literacy
Milltown, Rathconrath 8th November 2023
In a groundbreaking move towards fostering mental health awareness and well-being among its underage squads, the Milltown Clubhouse hosted the 'Ahead of the Game' (AOTG) initiative, a collaborative effort by Movember, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), and the Gaelic Players Association (GPA). This transformative mental health literacy workshop left an indelible impact on the young minds of our budding athletes.
The initiative, designed to address the critical need for mental health education and support in the sporting community, brought together experts and resources to create a safe and informative space for the participants. Under the umbrella of Movember, renowned for its commitment to men's health, the program was tailored to suit the unique needs of young athletes involved in the GAA at the Milltown Club.
Club officials expressed their heartfelt appreciation for the collaborative efforts that made the workshop possible. Mr. Paul Heduan, the Movember AOTG liaison delegate for Milltown Club, conveyed gratitude to Movember, the GAA, and the GPA for recognizing the importance of mental health literacy, particularly among the youth involved in sports.
"The 'Ahead of the Game' initiative has proven to be an invaluable addition to our club's initiatives. The focus on mental health education and awareness aligns seamlessly with our commitment to the holistic development of our young athletes," said Paul.
The workshop covered a range of topics, including stress management, resilience building, and the importance of seeking help when needed. Interactive sessions facilitated open conversations, creating an environment where the participants felt comfortable discussing mental health concerns. It was also very special to have previous Milltown footballers Jennie Rodgers from the GPA, and Stephen Quinn from the Tyrellspass club and the GAA’s National Community & Health Coordinator as key contacts and enablers for this programme to be delivered to the young players.
Parents, coaches, and players alike acknowledged the positive impact of the initiative.
Mr. Micheal Dillon, a trainer, coach and mentor to many of the underage Millmore Gaels players, shared his thoughts on the workshop, stating, "It's wonderful to see organizations like Movember, the GAA, and the GPA investing in the mental well-being of our young athletes. The skills and knowledge gained through 'Ahead of the Game' will undoubtedly serve them well both on and off the field."
The success of the 'Ahead of the Game' initiative at the Milltown Clubhouse serves as a testament to the power of collaborative efforts in promoting mental health awareness within sports communities. As the club looks ahead, it remains committed to prioritizing the mental well-being of its members and continues to be grateful for the support of organizations like Movember, the GAA, and the GPA in championing this important cause.
Press release from our 'substance abuse' workshop from the Westmeath Examiner Feb 2024
For more information on healthy clubs, see the document below.
GAA Healthy Club Manual
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