Newcastle United Foundation has reported that after the first half of its mental health campaign, over 700 men have engaged with wellbeing activities organised by the charity.
The #BeAGameChanger campaign is halfway through its first year, after launching in February, and aims to get more Newcastle United fans talking about mental health.
In its first month, it reached over 3.6 million through social media and has encouraged Newcastle United fans to share their personal story through social and traditional media, including several whose stories were shared by national media titles.
In a survey conducted by the Foundation through its new #BeAGameChanger Facebook community, which now has over 860 members, 70% stated that the campaign has changed the way they think about mental health, and 40% said they had since opened up to someone they know about their own mental health.
Ashley Lowe, Health and Wellbeing Manager at Newcastle United Foundation said: “We know that the North East has one of the highest rates of suicide and that suicide is the most common cause of death for men aged 20-49.
“Given that we have a community united by a love of football, we were confident that the power of the Newcastle United badge could be a catalyst for much-needed conversations amongst men and a great way to break down stigma and feelings of shame or isolation.
“It’s a well-known fact that one in four people experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. But to really bring the message home, our campaign equated that to almost 13,000 fans at every Newcastle United home game – or the entire crowd in the Milburn stand. It’s a very powerful message when fans who regularly attend matches can visualise it in this way.”
