Prince William, the Prince of Wales, has urged sports organisations to play a greater role in preventing suicide, saying sport can reach people who may never seek help from mental healthcare services.
William made the call while launching the “On Your Side” suicide prevention project at Everton’s football ground in Liverpool, United Kingdom. The initiative seeks to use the influence of sport to encourage people to have open conversations about mental health and support those who may be struggling.
“Sport can help save lives,” William told sports stars, mental health charities and industry figures at the event.
He said the project was designed to help people feel confident enough to have “difficult conversations” with friends, relatives, teammates and colleagues who may be experiencing mental health challenges or could be at risk of suicide.
“Sport has the ability to reach people who may never walk through the door of a mental healthcare service,” he said.
William stressed that suicide prevention should not be viewed as the responsibility of a select group, urging people to pay attention to struggles that may not be visible.
“Never underestimate the difference that you can make,” he said.
“We do not always see what is happening behind closed doors, or understand the battles that may be taking place beneath the surface.”
The initiative is backed by several sports figures, including England captain Harry Kane, former England striker Alan Shearer and retired middle-distance runner Dame Kelly Holmes.
Shearer said people did not need to be experts to support someone in difficulty, adding, “You don’t have to be an expert. You don’t have to have all the answers. But we can all be better at asking, listening, and helping someone find the right support.”
The Football Association, Premier League and Team GB are also supporting the project, which aims to encourage sporting organisations across the country to create environments where conversations about wellbeing are welcomed and people know where to seek help.
William said he hoped the campaign would prompt every sporting organisation in the country to consider what more it could do to prevent suicide, describing the opportunity as “enormous”.
The royal couple also visited a bench at Everton’s ground dedicated to former Wales footballer Gary Speed, who died by suicide in 2011.
William and Catherine met Speed’s mother at the memorial, which was created as a place where people can talk openly about their anxieties.
The campaign includes a film featuring Kane and boxer Carl Frampton encouraging people to intervene when they notice someone struggling. Kane’s message is: “If you think someone’s not ok, ask.”
The project was developed with the British Standards Institution and mental health charities, including Chasing the Stigma, whose Hub of Hope app provides a directory of support services.
