Prince Williamis taking his mental health campaign to the soccer field.
PromotingHeads Up— a new program to encourage more people, particularly men, to talk more about their mental health — William visited a soccer team in northwest London as the new season kicked into gear on Friday.
The dad of three, 37, was at Hendon Football Club to hear more about the club’s mental health initiatives, including an outreach program which it runs with the local council. The idea is to encourage people in the surrounding community who face mental health challenges to attend training sessions at the club.
The royal, who has made mental health and the prevention of male suicide a key part of his public work, spoke with some of the young people who have formed Hendon FC Mental Health team, which have specially-designed training sessions at the club.
“It’s quite hard,”Prince Williamsaid. “People are now talking a little bit about mental health issues, but I imagine talking about racism is still quite a difficult subject, especially when it’s happening in such a public fashion with Premier League matches or Champions League.”
Told it was an issue that had been talked about for “too long,” he agreed: “We’ve got to do something about it. I’m fed up with it. I’m so bored of it.”
“Heads Up is about mental health, but we are going to start doing stuff on racism as well because it is affecting mental health,” William added. “Not just the players but also fans.”
Prince William.
On Saturday, Hendon starts its journey in the Emirates FA Cup knock-out competition. When the FA Cup reaches its conclusion with the final at London’s Wembley Stadium in May, the Heads Up campaign will end.
The visit came as the Football Association — of which the prince is president — launched a guide for coaches and managers of soccer clubs to help the sport’s leaders identify signs of mental health difficulties in their players and colleagues and help set people on the path to recovering.
Princess Charlotte, Kate Middleton, Prince George and Prince William.Press Association via AP Images
The engagement comes one day afterPrince Williamproudly tookhis daughterPrincess Charlotteto herfirst day of schoolat Thomas’s Battersea, where Prince George has been a student for two years, alongside wifeKate Middletonon Thursday.
source: people.com
