Time To Talk Day: ‘Individuals That Inspire Others’

Lee Kendall, Marc Williams and Jess Fishlock talk about their efforts during the pandemic

4th February 2021 Ben Jones Student Work 0
Reporting from BA Sports Journalism at the University of South Wales
Reporting from BA Sports Journalism at the University of South Wales

by Ben Jones

AS part of USW’s Time To Talk Day, a group of Sports Journalism students produced a half hour programme where they discussed individuals who inspired others with their efforts during the pandemic.

The show, presented by second year student Hayley Mooney, included guests such as Lee Kendall, Aberystwyth Town captain Marc Williams and Wales’ all-time most capped player, Jess Fishlock.

Kendall, the former USW Men’s Football First Team Head Coach came up with a way to utilise exercise as a way of keeping fit and keeping the mind cleansed.

As he closed in on turning 40, he was challenged by someone to walk 40 kilometres in a single day. Kendall, being the competitive person he is, decided that would be too easy and so made it 40 miles instead.

“It was a good loop I did – a ten mile loop – I ended up doing it four times. It was a bit repetitive doing the same route, seeing the same things and I think it was the coldest day of the year at the time and then I found out what real blisters were about towards the end of it” Kendall said to second year students Harrison Kidd and Gerren Scapens.

“Towards the end of it I felt like I wasn’t moving anywhere, and when someone put it out there that it was like walking from Cardiff to Swansea, I didn’t really quite realise how far it actually was. When you put it like that, it was quite an effort really.”

When discussing mental health as a whole, Kendall spoke about how it is important to reach out to someone and what the good work the people at Mind Charity are doing for people.

“It’s just a matter of opening up and finding someone. If you can talk to someone, then talk to someone.

“With the work that Mind are doing, there’s the opportunity to give them a call and there’s someone at the end of the line that is going to listen and help and guide you in a way which will hopefully allow you to get better.

“I think through walking, it’s really important that exercise is key in lockdown. We’re allowed to exercise outside, it’s about getting out and changing the rhythm of the day.

“Even sometimes getting a bit of sun on your face, not at the moment with our weather in Wales! Getting a bit of rain on your head and changing location gives you a boost.”

Luke Hawkins and Ben Evans spoke with Aberystwyth Town captain Marc Williams surrounding all the work he had been doing to fundraising for the NHS and raising awareness about homelessness.

“I thought what can we do, people are out there doing amazing work in the pandemic, what could we give back. It was a case of Welsh football coming together and give something back to the NHS, for the hard work they were doing.

“I’ve always tried to give something back to the community and I think it was a case of I’m always on the go, I’m always here, there and everywhere with my work.

“I’m one of those people that can’t slow down, I felt a bit like people were out there doing their bit and doing these amazing things and I was at home. So that was the motivation, what can I do in this pandemic.”

More recently, the 32 year-old has been raising awareness by working with charities like Shelter to limit homelessness in places like Llandudno.

“As we’ve worked there in the last two years, the coaches and myself, we’ve seen the amazing work that goes on within a foodbank and it’s made us realise how fortunate we are.

“Me and the coaches spoke and we were just overwhelmed at what was going on. Until you see it, you don’t really know whats going on, you just look at your own life and think, well I’m okay and I’m getting on well. You don’t realise what other people are going through and it was a real eye-opener.

“It was just a case of what are they going through in this pandemic, how are they getting through it. It was like if we could raise awareness for it, that was the main thing. The money was great but I think the biggest motivation for me was the awareness.

“I don’t know how [the homeless] do that, it’s just them on their own if you think of their mental health and the isolation of the pandemic – it’s just them and their mind.”

Williams also spent a night out on the streets, choosing a cold December date to experience what homeless people go through on a daily basis, all to raise awareness.

Stonewall is a campaign that attempts to raise awareness around the LGBTQ+ community within football, from the highest level through to Sunday League. Ellie Reynolds and Ben Thomas talked to Wales legend and advocate Jess Fishlock on the work the Stonewall and others are doing.

“My point is as soon as those clubs and players took responsibility for the campaign and made it personal, made it public for them, then the message and campaign became so much stronger. This is the first year that this had happened and so now, for me, this is where we start now” the centurion said.

“This year they took responsibility for it and I thought that was unbelievable and it had such a big impact. I’m really excited for it to carry on, at this level at least and more, for the next couple of years.

Fishlock, now 34, believed that this is just the beginning of LGBTQ+ individuals becoming accepted in football, but admitted there is still a long way to go.

“I feel that the LGBTQ+ community in women’s football is a no brainer, it’s fine. It’s so visible that it’s hard to miss which is great. In the men’s game, not so much.

“Do I think it’s not a safe place for them? No, of course it is. They’re there, they’re playing, it’s just it isn’t public, it isn’t talked about, it’s not knowledgable, so we don’t know anything.

“Our job is to make football and society safe enough that if a gay footballer decided to come out, then it wouldn’t harm them and we’re just not there yet.”

All the interviews are available on the ExpoSport YouTube channel, where you’ll also be able to catch up on what else the students have been doing for Time To Talk Day.

Mental health is, and always will be, a topic that needs to stay at the forefront of people’s minds. Days such as Time to Talk Day are there to help those in need speak out. If you’re ever in need of someone to talk to, here are a few numbers and links that could help you.

Samaritans: 116 123

Mind Charity: 0300 123 3393

Shout: Text Shout to 85258

Students Against Depression: https://www.studentsagainstdepression.org/are-you-depressed-or-anxious/

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