The Prince and Princess of Wales launched a new suicide prevention initiative focused on harnessing the influence of sports to support mental health awareness and intervention. The event took place on World Suicide Prevention Day at Everton Football Club’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, where the couple was joined by sporting figures and advocates to promote the “On Your Side” toolkit, an online resource designed to help recognise signs of mental distress and encourage conversations around suicide.
Prince William highlighted suicide as “one of the greatest challenges facing our society,” noting its profound impact on families and communities. He emphasized the role of sports in bringing people together and creating environments where individuals struggling with mental health issues might be more likely to receive help. “When somebody is struggling, often it is not a professional who first notices. It is a friend. A coach. A colleague. A teammate,” he said, underscoring the importance of early intervention through personal support.
The toolkit, developed in collaboration with organizations including the Football Association, Premier League, Team GB, and British Cycling, provides practical advice for sports clubs at all levels—from community teams to professional organizations—on how to spot warning signs and initiate conversations about mental health before crises develop. The resource includes a five-step conversational framework called GOALS: Get ready; Open the conversation; Ask the question, Listen and respond; Support and signpost.
Several prominent athletes contributed to the campaign, with England football captain Harry Kane, Formula 1 driver George Russell, and women’s Rugby World Cup winner Rochelle "Rocky" Clark featured in a short film urging people to check in on others with the simple question, “Are you OK?” Clark shared a personal connection to the cause, revealing that her father died by suicide 34 years ago, and expressed hope that the campaign would help save lives and reduce stigma.
The launch also included an emotional panel discussion featuring Dame Kelly Holmes, the Olympic middle-distance runner, who spoke candidly about her own struggles with mental health despite her sporting success. Holmes recounted reaching out for help during a crisis, crediting that moment with saving her life, and expressed gratitude for the royal couple’s support in raising awareness.
The Princess of Wales, wearing a pair of charity earrings in memory of teenager Issy Phipps, echoed the significance of sport as a platform for openness. She remarked on its unique power to unite communities around important issues such as mental health.
The initiative also honoured the late Gary Speed, former professional footballer and Wales manager, who died by suicide in 2011. The couple met with Carole Speed, his mother, at the stadium, where a ‘talking bench’ staffed by a mental health nurse is now part of Everton’s efforts to foster support on match days.
In the UK, suicide remains the leading cause of death among men under 50, accounting for more than 7,000 lives lost annually. Organizers of “On Your Side” urge sports communities to adopt the toolkit as part of their culture and duty of care, aiming to break down stigma and encourage more open dialogue about mental health.
For confidential support, the Samaritans can be contacted anonymously via phone at 116 123 or online at samaritans.org. The “On Your Side” suicide prevention toolkit is accessible at hubofhope.co.uk/onyourside.