The Prince of Wales has called on sport to embed suicide prevention into its everyday culture, launching a new nationwide resource designed to support players, coaches and fans at every level of the game.
The initiative, named On Your Side, was introduced by Prince William and the Royal Foundation as a collection of online resources intended to make suicide awareness as routine to sporting life as warming up or training. More than 70 organisations have thrown their weight behind the scheme, including the Football Association, the Premier League, Team GB and British Cycling, alongside numerous mental health charities.
Speaking about the project, Prince William reflected on his own encounters with people affected by suicide. "Through my work on mental health, I have met people whose lives have been changed forever by suicide," he said. "But I have also met people whose lives have been saved because someone stepped in to help." The Prince, who has previously discussed his own mental health experiences, acknowledged the value of existing support services but warned that provision is often patchy, particularly at grassroots level, where efforts can be scattered and inconsistent.
He expressed hope that the toolkit will give anyone involved in sport the confidence and knowledge to act if they notice someone struggling, offering straightforward, practical steps to guide that person toward appropriate help.
The timing of the launch is no coincidence — it arrives ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show 6,190 suicides were registered across England and Wales in 2024, with suicide remaining the leading cause of death among men under 50. Men continue to be disproportionately affected, with a rate of 17.6 per 100,000 compared to 5.7 per 100,000 for women.
A campaign video supporting the launch features prominent sporting figures, among them England football captain Harry Kane, Formula One driver George Russell, and World Cup-winning rugby player Rochelle Clark.
The toolkit was formally introduced at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium, a deliberate choice given the venue's inclusion of a memorial 'talking bench' dedicated to former footballer Gary Speed. Speed, who captained and later managed Wales after a playing career spanning Leeds, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United, died by suicide in November 2011.
Alan Shearer, the Premier League's all-time leading scorer and a close friend of Speed, has lent his support to the campaign. Reflecting on the personal significance of the cause, Shearer said: "For me, this is obviously very personal. We can't always know when somebody is struggling, but we can all be better at asking, listening, and helping someone find the right support. You don't have to be an expert. You don't have to have all the answers, but I hope that everyone in sport will use the toolkit."
Prince William emphasized sport's unique capacity to unite people, suggesting this quality makes it an ideal platform for tackling such a sensitive issue. "In moments of need, the right support can make all the difference," he said. "We all have the power to help, and that's why suicide prevention must be an important part of everyday sporting life."
The project was shaped with input from the NHS, Samaritans, and the charity Mind, and took roughly two years to develop. Organizers stressed that despite launching alongside World Suicide Prevention Day, On Your Side is intended as an ongoing effort rather than a single awareness event, with ambitions of establishing a lasting impact across British sport.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.