Former England captain addressing well-being

Former England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock MBE is pulling on his own personal experiences to address mental health and well-being.

The Leeds Rhinos icon has today launched a well-being programme focused on simple daily actions to create strong well-being habits.

Be A Champion 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 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.

To mark the launch of the programme, Peacock said: “Throughout my entire career I have faced adversity and encountered many challenges which have impacted my confidence and ability to perform at the highest level. I have had to constantly bounce back, build myself back up and come back stronger to achieve all the successes I have in my career.

“No matter what I knew I was able to accomplish on the field, it was only ever achievable through working on my overall well-being and looking after myself physically and mentally.

“In these challenging times I want to help everyone to turn their lives around and despite the many struggles we are facing, make small changes to positively impact on your life.”

Be A Champion is a first-of-its kind interactive programme for all abilities which will help individuals make small daily behavioural changes in their life to help re-wire the brain and create new habits in four key areas;

• Positive Mindset

• Eating Healthily

• Sleeping Well

• Being Physically Active

The programme is delivered initially in the form of a book, but also blends virtual with physical to help keep individuals motivated with an initial video presentation and weekly videos from the former Leeds and Bradford captain.

£2 from every sale of the programme, designed for everyone, will be split across two charities that are close to his heart; 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 who has tragically been diagnosed with MND.

More information about the programme, which is now available, can be found at: www.jamiepeacock.co.uk/30-day-wellbeing-programme/

Notes to Editors

For more information, or interview requests, please contact: Nick Rewcastle at nick@nr-pr.uk

About Jamie Peacock MBE

Jamie Peacock MBE is considered to be one of the best rugby league players of his generation having won every honour in the domestic game. A player of undoubted talent, who through his determination and commitment has earned the respect from not only his team mates but his opponents on both sides of the hemisphere, having twice been named as the best forward in the world.

Jamie has won many accolades in the game including- Man of Steel, Players’ Player of the Year and Rugby League Writers’ Player of the Year and Captaining England. In 2011 he was recognised in the New Years Honours List and was awarded an MBE for his services to the game.

Away from the game, Jamie has transitioned successfully from the sporting world into his second career in the business world. This success has been accomplished by developing a in demand mentoring program called Building Champions, designing well-being programs and books for adults and children and working for his home town club the Leeds Rhinos. A family man who likes spending time with his 3 children and being outside either running, hiking or walking.

Achievements

BRADFORD BULLS
2001, 2003, 2005 Grand Final Winner (2005 as Captain)
2002, 2004 Grand Final Finalist
2000, 2003 Challenge Cup Winner
2001 Challenge Cup Finalist
2003 League Leaders Shield
2002, 2004 World Club Challenge Winners

LEEDS RHINOS
2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 Grand Final Winners
2008, 2015 League Leaders Shield
2008, 2012 World Club Challenge Winners
2014, 2015 Challenge Cup Winner
2011, 2012 Challenge Cup Finalist

GREAT BRITAIN + ENGLAND
2002, 2007 Test series win over New Zealand (2007 as captain)
2006 Captained Great Britain to 1st defeat of Australia in Australia for 12 years
2004 Four Nations Finalist
2009, 2011 Four Nations Finalist (as Captain)
2005 – 2007 Captain of Great Britain
2008 – 2012 Captain of England
47 caps for England/Great Britain

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
2003, 2005 Bradford Bulls Player of the Year
2008, 2013, 2014 Leeds Rhinos Player of the Year
2006, 2007 International Forward of the Year
2000 England Player of the World Cup
2007 Golden Boot Runner up (International Player of the Year)
2003 Players, player award
2003 Man of Steel
2005, 2008, 2013, 2014 Man of Steel Nominee
2003 Yorkshire Sports Personality of the Year
2003, 2014 Rugby League Writers Award
2012 Mike Gregory Spirit of Rugby league Award
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 Super League Dream Team
2005, 2006, 2007 World X111
2000 – 2010 British International Player of the Decade
2011 Awarded a MBE


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