The Prince of Wales has launched a new initiative aimed at using the power of sport to help prevent suicide and encourage people to speak openly about their mental health.
The “On Your Side” campaign was launched on World Suicide Prevention Day at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool. It has been developed by the Royal Foundation in partnership with mental-health charity Chasing the Stigma.
The initiative provides a free online toolkit designed to help people involved in sport recognise warning signs, start difficult conversations and guide people towards appropriate support.
Sport as a place to spot warning signs
The toolkit is intended for everyone involved in sport — including athletes, coaches, staff, volunteers, families and spectators. The campaign is designed to work across grassroots clubs as well as professional and elite sporting organisations.
Football captain Harry Kane is among the high-profile sports stars supporting the campaign. In a promotional film, Kane encourages people to speak up when they believe someone may be struggling.
The message of the campaign is simple: noticing that someone is not themselves and having a conversation could be an important first step towards getting help.
Famous sporting figures lend their support
Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes, former England footballer Alan Shearer, football personalities and other leading sports figures have backed the wider effort.
Shearer has spoken about the personal importance of suicide prevention because of the death of his friend Gary Speed, the former Wales manager and Everton player, who died by suicide in 2011. Shearer said the launch at Everton was particularly poignant because of Speed’s connection with the club.
The campaign also has support from major sporting organisations, with the Football Association, Premier League and British Cycling expected to incorporate the toolkit into their policies and practices.
William: conversations can make a difference
The Prince of Wales has made mental health and suicide prevention a significant part of his public work.
The campaign encourages people not to assume they need professional expertise before offering support. Instead, it promotes listening, asking questions and helping someone find appropriate assistance.
In the campaign film, William says people do not have to be experts to support someone who is struggling — they need the courage to have the conversation.
The Royal Foundation says the initiative is intended to become more than a one-day campaign, with the ambition of making suicide prevention a normal part of sporting environments across the UK.
A wider movement
The launch builds on the Royal Foundation’s previous work in suicide prevention, including support for the National Suicide Prevention Network, launched in 2025 with £1 million in funding from the foundation.
The “On Your Side” initiative now aims to turn sports clubs and communities into places where people feel able to talk when they are struggling — potentially giving vulnerable people an opportunity to receive support before they reach a crisis.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or thinking about suicide, contact your local emergency service or a suicide-crisis service in your country as soon as possible.
