September 10th marks World Suicide Prevention Day, a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about suicide prevention and the measures that can be taken to reduce suicide rates.
In recognition of this important day, a group of volunteers and service users from the local mental health charity Kick Start FC are undertaking a remarkable 71-mile walk, starting from Ludgershall and concluding at Wembley Stadium in London.
Kick Start FC, based in Tidworth, is a charity that utilises ‘football therapy’ to provide free peer support to men, women, and teenagers struggling with mental health issues and social isolation. The charity is run by a dedicated team of volunteers who host four weekly football therapy sessions, specifically designed for those experiencing mental health challenges. These sessions are offered at no cost to attendees.
Michael Cunningham, the founder of Kick Start FC, highlighted the importance of addressing the often-stigmatised topic of suicide: “Suicide is a scary word and something we find challenging to talk about, but 1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts. Although we struggle to have conversations around suicide, it is important that we raise awareness of the statistics and show that suicide is preventable. An average of 115 people die by suicide in the UK on a weekly basis, and we need to be doing more to reduce these numbers. One life lost to suicide is one life too many.”
This isn’t the first time Kick Start FC has embarked on such an endeavour. Two years ago, the charity completed a 65-mile walk around London, using every Premier League and EFL football stadium as checkpoints. Their efforts successfully raised £2,355, which was used to fund their football therapy sessions. This year’s walk is not only about raising awareness but also about securing further funding to ensure their services remain accessible and to support future community projects.
Cunningham also noted the timely coincidence of this year’s walk: “Whilst I was working out the logistics of this walk, it came to my attention that the England Men’s Football Team are in action at Wembley on the same day as World Suicide Prevention Day. As a charity that uses football to support people with their mental health, there was no way we couldn’t do this walk.
“We will be using every opportunity from now until World Suicide Prevention Day to raise awareness, encourage more people to have conversations about their mental health, and if they could benefit from peer support, to access our services.”
Supporters who wish to contribute to Kick Start FC’s ‘Walk to Wembley’ can do so by visiting their website at www.kickstartfc.org or following their social media pages for live updates.
