Mental health charity If U Care Share is launching its annual ‘Inside Out’ campaign to back World Suicide Prevention Awareness day in September.
The Norwich City first-team will be warming up in t-shirts ahead of today's Sky Bet Championship fixture against Rotherham United to showcase the club's support.
Alongside the Canaries, a number of clubs across the Premier League, EFL, WSL and non-league will be by going ‘Inside Out’ this weekend ahead of the dedicated day on September 10.
The ‘Inside Out’ campaign encourages people to wear their clothes inside out for the day - a symbol to get their feelings out in the open and start conversations which will save lives.
Suicide remains one of the biggest killers of young men across the UK, with six people aged between 40 and 60 dying by suicide every week in the North East alone.
If U Care Share held their first mental health workshop at Sunderland Football Club academy in 2011 and since then has provided practical and emotional support to those affected by suicide as well as individual support to those deemed to be directly at risk.
Last year the charity’s founder Matthew Smith completed an 11-day, 289 mile run from the charity’s offices in County Durham to Downing Street to deliver a letter on behalf of 10 prominent mental health groups across the UK to raise awareness on suicide prevention and call for its inclusion in the Government’s Levelling Up paper.
He also raised more than £30,000 for the charity which was established after Matthew’s brother Daniel O’Hare took his own life without warning to his family.
Matthew ran in a vest featuring the names of 183 people who have died by suicide, dedicated by families and friends, including Daniel, and Newcastle United and Wales legend Gary Speed.
World Suicide Prevention Day is held on September 10 and the If U Care Share Inside Out campaign is aimed at encouraging people from across the UK to go Inside Out and start conversations and save lives by asking people across the UK to simply wear an item of clothing inside out for the day.
Matthew said: “Since the inception of our Inside Out Campaign in 2015, we have reached communities across the country with this lifesaving message.
“This year we hope that this message can be carried even further by utilising the power of football.
“We are extremely grateful to receive support from clubs at all levels, from the Premier League to non- league and across the women’s game too, and we encourage anyone and everyone to turn an item, or items, of clothing inside out and be a part of this lifesaving movement.
“Feeling helpless, worthless or hopeless are common feelings associated with feeling suicidal and often those thoughts can be overwhelming and prevent you from feeling anything else.
“With pressures like the cost of living crisis impacting individuals and families, it is more important than ever to encourage people close to us to talk about their feelings and access the support that is available. As well as longer-term emotional support we have a 24/7 text service which is there for people who need to talk.”