Prince William urges sport to embed suicide prevention with new toolkit
Prince William has launched a nationwide sport mental‑health toolkit called On Your Side, urging that suicide prevention become as routine as warm‑up, training and performance. The initiative is timed to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September and is available online for anyone involved in sport.
Toolkit aims and official launch
The Prince of Wales and the Royal Foundation introduced the resources, describing them as a practical guide for anyone who notices a teammate or participant struggling. The official launch will take place at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, a venue chosen for its ‘talking bench’ memorialising former player Gary Speed.
Broad support and stark statistics
More than 70 organisations back the project, including the Football Association, the Premier League, Team GB and British Cycling, alongside leading mental‑health charities. According to the Office for National Statistics, 6,190 suicides were registered in England and Wales in 2024, the biggest cause of death for men under 50, with a rate of 17.6 per 100,000 for males and 5.7 per 100,000 for females.
Personal endorsements and promotional faces
Prince William said his work on mental health has shown both lives lost to suicide and lives saved when help arrives. He warned that current initiatives are often fragmented and support inconsistent, especially at grassroots level. Alan Shearer, close friend of Gary Speed, called the project personal and urged everyone to ask, listen and help, even without being an expert. A promotional video features England captain Harry Kane, F1 driver George Russell and Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Rochelle ‘Rocky’ Clark.
Fans remember former Everton, Leeds and Newcastle midfielder Gary Speed, who also played for Bolton and Sheffield United and served as Wales captain and manager before taking his own life in November 2011. Image source, Getty Images, captured the tribute.
The National Health Service, the Samaritans and the mental‑health charity Mind were consulted during development. The Royal Foundation noted the project took two years to complete, is not a one‑day campaign and aims for a lasting legacy.
Sport Reporter Published 10 minutes ago highlighted that anyone affected can find support via the BBC Action Line. Prince William hopes On Your Side will harness sport’s remarkable ability to bring people together, making the right support a regular part of everyday sporting life.