Football club Oxford United has announced that it will be prioritising suicide prevention by teaming up with charity Baton of Hope to deliver accredited in-person training with professionals who have first-hand experience of dealing with the impact of suicide.
The new partnership comes as part of the club’s Can We Talk? suicide prevention and mental health initiative, which was launched in October last year to coincide with World Mental Health Day.
This announcement comes three years to the day since club player Joey Beauchamp died by suicide and the hope is that the charity collaboration will allow the club to continue to drive understanding of suicide and mental health, internally and externally alike.
Men’s team player and ambassador for Baton of Hope Will Vaulks said: “I’m truly overwhelmed with the response and the commitment shown by Oxford United.
“This is a cause which means so much to me on a personal level and I am delighted the Club have been proactive in supporting it. This partnership is hopefully the start of a long-term vision to help end suicide within our community.”
Baton of Hope itself was set up in 2023 by two fathers who had lost their sons to suicide and it’s the charity’s goal to create a zero-suicide society. Vaulks, as a charity representative, launched the inaugural Baton of Hope Tour that same year, the biggest suicide prevention initiative in the UK.
Charity co-founder Mike McCarthy said: “We are enormously proud to work alongside Oxford United. The club has demonstrated a serious and sincere commitment to the mental wellbeing of its community.
“They, like us, believe that in the majority of cases suicide is preventable. We share a view that the stigma surrounding this subject must be overcome. The club is proving itself a front runner in confronting a societal catastrophe that is robbing our nation of talent and potential.”
Are you considering suicide prevention training? Suicide Bereavement UK delivers evidence-based theory driven courses informed by research and provided by experts in their field.
For further information, contact:
Paul Higham
Suicide Bereavement UK
Tel: 01706 827359
Mobile: 07850 710555
Email: paul.higham@suicidebereavementuk.com