Former professional Cricket Player speaks out this Movember

A former professional cricket player has spoken about the importance of discussing mental health this Movember.

Zisan Abedin, who played professional cricket player from the age of 12 until the age of 28 and is currently one of our Employee Experience Managers talks about the importance of ‘opening up’.

Movember is a month-long awareness event which takes place throughout November each year. It's aimed at raising awareness of men's mental and physical health.

Zisan joined EPUT in 2021 as a bank employee.

He said: “Movember means a lot to me and my goal this year is to continue inspiring my male colleagues, friends, and families, as well as the community at large, by letting them know that it's okay to feel not okay.

“I am of South Asian heritage and so I hold particular significance for individuals from South Asian cultures and I know that men from South Asia are more at ease discussing physical health than mental health.

“I bring this topic up with my friends, families and the community at large in an effort to raise awareness among people who share my culture and to let them know that it's okay to talk about mental health issues and struggles.”

As the captain of the Bangladesh national team at a very young age, Zisan said he developed a passion for encouraging people, helping those in need, and fostering a positive environment.

He added: “My love of sports shaped me into a team player, and even after I left mainstream professional cricket, I wanted to continue serving the public and uphold the values of compassionate care for teammates and compassion for all.

"This inspired me to work for the NHS, and since EPUT is both my local trust and a mental health trust, I find my work there even more fulfilling.

“I'm passionate about helping people whose illness is suffocating them on the inside rather than being visible on the outside. I therefore joined EPUT with the ultimate goal of supporting and uplifting lives.”

Zisan is currently a high-performance coach for Greenwich District and head coach at NEO Cricket Club in East London. He also coaches refugees aspiring to become cricketers.