Rugby League Legend Peacock Launches Wellbeing Programme
Former England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock has launched a new wellbeing programme to address mental health issues.
The Leeds Rhinos legend’s programme, Be A Champion, will focus on simple daily actions to create strong wellbeing habits and will draws upon all areas that Peacock has taken from sport and adapted to ‘the real’ world, enabling him to cope with retiring from sport and the impact of the pandemic.
The interactive programme – which will be delivered both in the form of a book as well as blending in digital elements – will aim to help individuals to improve a number of different areas of their lives by encouraging them to embrace a positive mindset, as well as taking control of their eating, sleeping and exercise habits.
The 43-year-old is also supporting home learning for children in the UK during the current lockdown. Peacock has partnered with Schools Advisory Service and will today, 18 January, be delivering a free virtual wellbeing presentation to 3,000 students, with every student receiving a copy of the book. Peacock will be delivering further sessions, once a month, during the lockdown restrictions.
Public Health England’s mental health & wellbeing surveillance report found that self-reported mental health and wellbeing worsened during the first national lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms peaked in 2020.
Peacock’s inspiration for Be A Champion comes from years of playing international sport at the highest level. Since retiring from playing, he has been successfully mentoring and has run programmes for the NHS, HSBC, McDonalds and many more.
In addition, £2 from every sale of the programme will be split across two charities close to Peacock, MND and Greenhouse Sports. Peacock raised over £50,000 for MND by running an Ultra Marathon in October in support of his former teammate and close friend Rob Burrow has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
