We’re proud to be kicking off 2020 at the leading industry ed tech show and global meeting place for education buyers, the Bett Show. This year, our friends over at 2Simple Wellbeing are hosting a charity football tournament at the event - all in aid of mental health charity, Mind.

The British Education Training and Technology (BETT) show takes place in January each year at the Excel Arena and attractors over 30,000 educators from around the world. The theme of the show this year is wellbeing and so the organisers have teamed up with Mind and 2Simple Ltd to host an #EduFootyAid charity football tournament inside the arena.

#EduFootyAid is national charity football initiative for the education community that was set up by 2Simple Ltd in 2017. There are over 300 registered teachers/players across the country and together they have already raised over £10,000 to support Mind. On January 25th over 50 of those teachers are travelling to London to take part in a charity 5-aside tournament inside the Excel Arena.

One in four people experience a mental health problem each year but worryingly there is evidence that this rises to one in three for primary school teachers, which may be the a result of the pressure teachers are under. Mind's mission is to ensure that every person experiencing a mental health problem receives the support and respect they deserve. This includes removing stigmas and lobbying Government to make mental health a priority. Progress has been made but there is a very long way to go and we can only get there if we work together.

The Excel Arena is a historic sporting venue having hosted the boxing for London 2012. It was on this site that Nicola Adams became the first women to receive a gold medal for boxing. In 2020 it will once again host a first for women’s sport, as the headlining match will be #EduFootyAid’s first all-female game. It’s hoped this match will inspire more female teachers and their pupils to get involved in football.

If you want to show your support for Mind and these amazing teachers, you can register for free tickets on the Bett show website. You can also donate to Mind via the events JustGiving page. Any teachers who would like to get involved with #EduFootyAid should head to the 2Simple website.