Member Article

Mental health and wellbeing organisation looking to link up with football clubs to offer support to fans

With studies showing an increase in mental health problems and suicide in men, Holler It are looking to link up with football teams to provide support to their fans.

Holler It, the organisation set up to provide wellbeing support packages to businesses and organisations who wish to support their members or customers who are experiencing anxiety or mental health challenges, is offering its support to football fans.

The service offers 24/7 telephone counselling, debt advice, legal information, family advice and an overall online wellbeing portal, covering all bases and ensuring the correct support is provided.

With one of the biggest groups affected by mental health challenges being men and mental illness related suicide being the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45, it is important that addtional support, aimed at men, is provided says Holler It.

The organisation is now offering its services to fan club members of Britain’s leading football clubs.

“Reports and studies out this week have shown that the single most common cause of death in men under 45 is suicide. The reports say that a lot of men feel stigmatised when it comes to discussing their anxiety or mental health - and think that it’s not ‘masculine’ to be open about how they’re really feeling or about any mental health issues they may be facing.

Football is the great unifier - getting us chatting and joining together in supporting our teams. The popularity and massive fanbase of football clubs provides an innovative and important opportunity to reach and support football fans and get them talking about how they’re doing. It isn’t exclusively for men but given that a high proportion of football fans are male, it is an important way of reaching them.

Imagine your club giving fans white labelled access to mental health support - getting help when they need it? I’m excited at the thought of working with clubs - giving them a chance to return the support shown by fans by providing the groundbreaking Holler It service“ says Lily Gupta, founder of Holler It.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) saw a surge in mental health issues during the coronavirus pandemic, and although restrictions have eased the effect on mental health is still there and continuing to take a hold of people. By engaging with football clubs within the UK Holler It is hoping to help reduce this surge.

Holler It works with banks, insurance companies and other organisations and is hoping that by now aiming to partner with football clubs they will be able to provide the support that many are currently going without.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Helen Thorpe .