Duke of Cambridge speaking at launch of ‘Heads Up’ weekend initiative aiming to help normalise conversation around the topic
Thursday 6 February 2020 16:15, UK
Prince William is hoping the power of football can help raise the profile of mental health ahead of a new initiative launched by his 'Heads Up' campaign.
Over the next two weekends, matches in the Premier League, the English Football League, the National League, the Women's Super League, the Women's Championship and the Women's National League will be dedicated to the Mental Health campaign.
It will see 'Heads Up' branding appear across stadiums, programmes and player kit over the weekends of February 8 and 9 and February 14 to 17 with the Scottish Football Association also supporting the initiative during their Scottish Cup fifth-round fixtures (February 8 and 9).
The aim of the campaign is to highlight communication as a way of supporting people and normalising what is perceived as a difficult subject.
Prince Williams been an advocate for mental health charities and in 2016 launched the Heads Together campaign with the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex.
On Wednesday's launch at The Heist Bank in Paddington, which also saw a number of current players back the initiative, the Duke of Cambridge said: "The fact we're all here today talking about mental health, raising the profile of mental health through football, is a real achievement.
"It's so important because football is followed by roughly 16 million people in this county and if we can use the power of football to bring people together to have a conversation on mental health then it can only help people who are still suffering, still struggling and still feeling they can't talk about it.
"Mental health is a positive subject, it is something we can all talk about whether you are a professional footballer or fan and regardless of who you are and the background you come from."
A Heads Up survey of football fans conducted by Censuswide found football is the number one topic of conversation between fans and their friends - 75 per cent - but only one in three (34 per cent) regularly talk about their mental health.
That figure drops to 27 per cent when only looking at male football supporters.
The survey also found 40 per cent of fans found it easiest to talk about their mental health while busy with other activities - such as walking, running, driving, going to the pub, or watching sport with a friend.
One of the players present at the launch was Crystal Palace's Andros Townsend who recently admitted his own mental health and gambling issues.
The England winger echoed Prince William's call for a more open discussion on mental health and not to suffer in silence.
"As humans you don't like to show your weakness and let people know you have problems," Townsend said.
"The main thing we need to do is to start speaking to each other in general and eventually gaining in confidence to speak about mental health.
"I've had my problems in the past and understand the last thing you want to do is let your problems out in the open.
"For me it was just about telling my story, I wasn't trying to be inspiration but I've had people telling me I've helped them a lot, they thought they were going through it alone
"But hearing my story they felt inspired and don't have the urge to gamble anymore and have a new lease of life.
"Having that positive impact has been incredible and is why I am getting behind campaigns like this and I want to help as many people as possible."
The Heads Up Weekends, which are taking place on February 8/9 and 15/16, will see every football team from across the Premier League, English Football League, The National League, The Barclays Women's Super League, The FA Women's Championship and The FA Women's National League dedicate their matches to Heads Up.
