Published Wednesday 11 March 2026 at 14:03
Men living in Blackburn with Darwen will have free access to group and individual mental health sessions through a groundbreaking 30‑month partnership between Rugby League Cares and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.
Rugby League Cares is a specialist wellbeing charity delivered by current and former professional rugby players. Using their lived experience, they have supported over 30,000 people to improve their mental fitness since 2017.
Funded by Blackburn with Darwen Public Health, the programme aims to support all men by developing Mental Fitness. Whether participants are currently experiencing poor mental health or not, the sessions will offer practical tips and tools to help manage challenges, improve mindset, and support others who may be struggling.
Group sessions began this week and run as a course of six one‑hour workshops, each focusing on a different topic: Mental Fitness, Stress, Mindset, Emotions, Resilience, and Influence.
Individual support is also available to offer men practical help in navigating issues that cause distress and making positive changes to improve how they feel and function day to day.
Registration is required, as none of the current options are drop‑ins. To register your interest, visit: https://rugbyleaguecares.org/bwd
Councillor Brian Taylor, Deputy Executive Member for Health and Housing at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:
“I’m a huge advocate for men’s mental health and am already proud of the excellent support we offer in Blackburn with Darwen.
“By working with Rugby League Cares, we can strengthen and extend that offer by ensuring more men can access targeted support when they need it most.”
Chris Rostron, the CEO of Rugby League Cares, added:
“I’ve got family roots in the Blackburn and Darwen area, so I’m delighted we’re going to be working here for the next three years, and able to bring the proven success of our Men’s Mental Fitness Programme.
“It’s been a pleasure working with the Blackburn with Darwen team to set up the programme, and again to feel the genuine enthusiasm and commitment from everyone who attended the launch.
“We know from the work we’ve done in a range of other settings such as the NHS and the Fire and Rescue Service that you don’t need to be a Rugby League fan or even a sports fan to take part and benefit from the programme. It’s about giving men genuine real-life examples that they can relate to and learn from – helping them to thrive.”