This focused on how football clubs can use their cultural influence and community reach to improve mental wellbeing, reduce isolation, encourage people to seek help earlier, and create measurable long-term social impact , particularly among underserved and higher-risk groups.

The Southampton FC Foundation initiative helped to translate national prevention policy into practical delivery models within sport.

Key areas of focus included:

• Mental wellbeing and suicide prevention

• Community engagement and belonging

• Workforce and safeguarding considerations

• Early intervention for those seeking help

• Prevention-focused programme design

• Organisational and community resilience

Programmes demonstrated measurable outcomes across mental wellbeing, physical activity, social connection, and community engagement.

Reported outcomes included:

• Increased participant mental wellbeing across multiple programmes

• Stronger positive social connections and reduced isolation

• Improved engagement among underserved and higher-risk groups

• 95% of participants in Saints By Your Side achieving at least one positive outcome

The work also informed wider discussions across football around how clubs can use stadiums, supporter networks, and matchday environments as trusted community health assets.

Examples of emerging practice included:

• Matchday mental health hubs embedded within stadium environments

• Partnerships with NHS mental health teams and Samaritans outreach staff

• Discreet QR-code signposting to local and national support services

• Suicide prevention messaging integrated into supporter engagement activity

• Staff and steward training delivered alongside mental health organisations

• Community tournaments incorporating mental health workshops

• Multi-agency partnerships linking football clubs with local suicide prevention strategies, health systems, and community providers

Interim findings from the Premier League’s Together Against Suicide pilot reinforced football’s effectiveness as a platform for engaging higher-risk groups around mental health and suicide prevention, with early evidence showing increased awareness, reduced stigma and earlier engagement with support services.

This work reinforced the growing role of sport not simply as entertainment, but as a trusted community environment capable of supporting prevention, connection, and long-term organisational and social resilience.