‘Mental health problem claimed life of a loved one’

Less than four months ago, Doncaster dad Rob Clowes was rocked by the death of a loved one.
Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Pictured back l-r Rob Etherington, Dave Leggett, Andy Nevett, Rob Clowes, Arran Dobson and Dave Holt. Front l-r Martyn Suter, James Moore, Tara Shawcroft, Jack Ashwood and George Lewis.  Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-1Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Pictured back l-r Rob Etherington, Dave Leggett, Andy Nevett, Rob Clowes, Arran Dobson and Dave Holt. Front l-r Martyn Suter, James Moore, Tara Shawcroft, Jack Ashwood and George Lewis.  Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-1
Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Pictured back l-r Rob Etherington, Dave Leggett, Andy Nevett, Rob Clowes, Arran Dobson and Dave Holt. Front l-r Martyn Suter, James Moore, Tara Shawcroft, Jack Ashwood and George Lewis. Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-1

It was someone he had been close to for years – but completely out of the blue, he received the devastating news they had taken their own life.

Rob, aged 36, from Auckley, a hotel gym manager, does not want to identify who it was who died at the request of the dead man’s family. 

Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Pictured back l-r Rob Etherington, Dave Leggett, Andy Nevett, Rob Clowes, Arran Dobson and Dave Holt. Front l-r Martyn Suter, James Moore, Tara Shawcroft, Jack Ashwood and George Lewis.  Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-1Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Pictured back l-r Rob Etherington, Dave Leggett, Andy Nevett, Rob Clowes, Arran Dobson and Dave Holt. Front l-r Martyn Suter, James Moore, Tara Shawcroft, Jack Ashwood and George Lewis.  Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-1
Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Pictured back l-r Rob Etherington, Dave Leggett, Andy Nevett, Rob Clowes, Arran Dobson and Dave Holt. Front l-r Martyn Suter, James Moore, Tara Shawcroft, Jack Ashwood and George Lewis. Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-1
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But he wants to do all he can to stop the same thing happening to anyone else.

He said: “He died in January. It came as quite a shock, because no one knew that he was ill. He was only in his 40s. It turned out that he had problems that none of us knew about. He was taking antidepressants.

“We were close, and he was always someone I looked up to, and he always sounded really positive. But he obviously had secret problems that he kept to himself.”

Rob was devastated by the loss – and he decided to take action.

Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-3Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-3
Rob Clowes, Leisure Club manager at the Holiday Inn, Warmsworth, along with other members and friends are taking part in a charity football match to raise money for mental health chairty Mind. Picture: NDFP-30-03-19-Mind-3
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His first action was to set the ball rolling to run a charity football match at Doncaster Rovers’ home ground, the Keepmoat Stadium, for friends and people who use the gym he works at in Warmsworth.

The plan will see 34 people taking part in a match at the stadium on June 1, with each of them raising at least £200 in sponsorship. The money raised will go to the mental health charity, MIND.

Spectators will be asked to make a donation the the charity. The match starts at 12noon.

The match is expected to raise around £6,000

The players, both men and women, will range in experience from former Scunthorpe United professional Joe Wilcox and Megan Wilson of Doncaster Belles to enthusiastic occasional amateurs.

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Rob wants to both raise money for the mental health charity Mind, to help people with similar issues in future. He also wants to raise awareness of mental health issues and encourage people to talk about their problems and seek help from others.

He said: “”I want to stop this happening to anyone else. If people are in a similar situation, I would like them to talk about their problems, and to realise that there are people like Mind and the Samaritans who can support them.

“If people talk about it more, help can be available, and I want to get people talking.”