Charity launches concussion campaign

 

9 May, 2016

 

A Birmingham-based brain injury charity is asking local sports clubs to be ‘concussion aware’ as part of a new national campaign launched today.

Headway Birmingham & Solihull, which supports local people affected by brain injury, will promote the Concussion Aware campaign during Action for Brain Injury Week, which takes place from 9-15 May.

“Sport plays a key role in keeping us fit and healthy,” said Sue Tyler, Chief Executive of Headway Birmingham & Solihull. “And at Headway, we want to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy sport, while being better protected from the risks of concussion.

“A great deal has been achieved in the past few years to improve concussion protocols, with the emphasis being placed on elite-level sport to set a good example for others to follow.

“But we believe everyone who plays sport should be concussion aware – particularly those at grassroots level who are playing purely for the love of it and do not have ambulances and doctors on standby should something go wrong.

“We hope that through this campaign, we can encourage sports clubs, schools, colleges and universities in our region to ensure their members or pupils are aware of concussion and sign up to an ‘if in doubt, sit it out’ approach.”

As part of the campaign, sports clubs and academic institutions will have access to a range of materials, including a factsheet giving advice about concussion, posters to display both online and in changing rooms, and a digital stamp to demonstrate the club has adopted a responsible approach to concussion.