Snap Fitness x Mental Health Foundation: Together for KidsTime

Celebrating Snap Fitness' remarkable fundraising achievements over the past year, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone at the Mental Health Foundation. The funds raised will help them continue prioritising prevention, advancing their research efforts, advocating for positive change, and providing individuals across the UK with essential resources to proactively manage their mental well-being. These contributions will also support transformative programmes, including their KidsTime initiative.

Why KidsTime? 
 

• One in six UK adults suffer from a mental health problem.  

• 60% of these adults are parents or carers.  

• A child whose parent or carer has a mental illness has about a 70% chance of developing mental health problems themselves.  

The Mental Health Foundation’s programme, KidsTime, is designed to help break that cycle.  

The programme offers a safe space for children to have fun, explore and break down the taboo of mental illness. For their parents, it’s a way of doing something really positive for their children, without shame, embarrassment, or fear or being judged.  

Bemi’s story: 

‘My son was diagnosed with autism two years ago and that – along with a court case I’m going through, and my own health issues with sickle cell and asthma – it made my mental health deteriorate. I wanted to disappear but I couldn’t. As a parent there’s this guilt trip that just hangs over you that you can’t let go of. 

 

We came to KidsTime because I really wanted my daughter to get away mentally and focus on something that would distract her and make her happier; to shift her focus onto something that she would love and enjoy, so she could not be worried about what’s going on at home.  

 

KidsTime gave my daughter tools and coping mechanisms and self-awareness. She is equipped to talk. Now my daughter tells me everything! If I’ve upset her, she’ll tell me. It has brought us closer and I’m grateful for that. KidsTime helped because we spoke a lot about mental health. And another things that helped was having someone like Nadine, who’s so approachable and welcoming.  

 

When I see my kids, I feel like I’m doing something right despite all that’s going on in my life. There are still days I get down and you don’t always have the energy. Not every day is going to be perfect –we don’t live in a perfect world. But it’s about not giving up and learning to deal with it.’ 
 

Nadine, Family Time Facilitator:  

‘The workshops start with a few drama games, which the kids love. And we encourage the adults to get involved too and basically get everyone smiling. Then comes peer education, based around a theme, such as caring for someone with mental illness or what is a mental illness. The children then put together something to show to the parents at the end of the session. At the end, we all sit down and eat pizza together. We even sent pizza to people’s homes when the sessions went online during lockdown. Yet while KidsTime is designed to be fun, it’s also 100% serious. 

  

Were you to sit in on one of these sessions, you’d quickly discover that children know w-a-y more than you think they know. What they say about their lives is often very real and very raw. But when it’s voiced out loud, it opens the door for parents to speak about their mental illness. And this means there’s a conversation going, that can continue after the session.  

 

This couldn’t be more important as when difficult things remain unsaid, gaps can easily open up in families. And once that happens they can become impossible to close. Parents tell us, KidsTime has given them the strength to carry on. There really is nothing else like this for families; nothing else that is picking them up.’ 

Thank you to all Snap Fitness UK teams for their continued focus on raising funds for The Mental Health Foundation. Together we have raised £30,500 so far.