Head In The Game Charity

🚨 To All #Kent Football Clubs: It’s Time to Step Up 🚨 We are in the middle of a mental health crisis—and it’s hitting our fans and supporters hard, particularly middle-aged #men. These are our Dads, brothers, and mates who are struggling in silence, sometimes with devastating consequences. At Head In The Game Charity, we believe in the power of #football to bring people together, to save lives, and to give hope. But we can't do this alone. We’re asking your club—yes, YOUR CLUB—to donate just 1 hour of pitch time to help us run our 'Community Hour' mental health movement, designed to prevent suicide and improve mental fitness. That single hour can open the door to conversations that could save lives. ⚽ Why Now?   🚨 Suicide rates continue to rise, and men remain disproportionately affected.  🚨 Football is more than a game; it’s a lifeline.  🚨 The mental health crisis is getting worse. Let’s not wait until it’s too late. Together, we can prevent suicide—one hour at a time. If your club can donate an hour, reach out to us. Let’s make a difference where it matters most: in our communities. Tag a club, tag someone you know from within the club, share this post, and let’s show that Kent football stands united for mental health. Kent FA Ashford United Football Club Bearsted Football Club CHATHAM FOOTBALL CLUB INC Dartford Football Club Deal Town F.C. Dover Athletic Football Club Limited Ebbsfleet United Football Club Faversham Townfc Folkestone Invicta Football Club Gillingham Football Club Herne Bay Football Club Hythe Town Football Club Aylesford FC Maidstone United Football Club Maidstone United FC The Stones Community Trust Margate FC Punjab United FC Ramsgate Football Club Sevenoaks Town FC Sittingbourne Football Club Tonbridge Angels Football Club Whitstable Town Football Club #communityhour #mentalhealth #mentalfitness #suicideprevention #suicideawareness #community #kentfootball #football #community #supporters #fans

⚽ It's not an average Thursday night when I find myself at Kent Sport's 3Gx pitches filming some of the Kent Kreston Reeves Partners attempting to showcase their footballing *prowess* in a Penalty Shoot Out while dressed in festive fancy dress. All in aid of Head In The Game Charity of course ! ⚽ Jennifer Williamson Max Masters Des Sudworth Richard Heasman Thomas Wacher Samantha Jones Tracey Becker Mark Attwood Mike Dyer Rob Sellers Massive thank you to Matthew Witts and the guys from the charity for coming up and helping us, and to Charlotte Hall for being my co-camera operator 📹

Over the last couple of weeks, we celebrated International Men's Day at our Northfleet Mill. As part of the Wellbeing Committee, I helped organise a range of events to promote men's mental and physical health. We induced a lot of competition and fun across the mill with some active games such as who could do the longest plank, wall sit and ping pong keepy uppies. Well done to the winners of these events and thank you to everyone for getting involved! The team also took part in some more health focused sessions such as health checks, a talk from KIMS Hospitals about prostate cancer and we gave out Macmillan Cancer Support guides on how to check for testicular cancer as well. The team also made pledges to support their mental and physical health going forward and we invited amazing charities in the local area to give advice to everyone that wanted it. It was great to be part of such honest and open conversations with the rest of team as at the end of the day, your health and wellbeing is one of the most important things in life, if not the most. I will personally be asking the question "How are you really?" more in future! Thank you to the rest of the team for making these events a reality - Kasia Lewandowska, Anna Frampton (Assoc.CIPD), Salvatore Sedda and Maria Dyl! Also, thank you to the charities who attended the events, it was amazing to hear about the work you do - Head In The Game Charity, The Printing Charity, Porchlight (charity), Mid Kent Mind, MEGAN CIC Voluntary sector mental health organisation and Mental Health Matters!

Soooo, not all our videos go according to plan at Head In The Game Charity 👀🎄☃️ #MerryChristmas, enjoy our bloopers! Matthew Witts

Great results and an even better example of our partnership work with councils across #kent

Thanks for having us!

Partnerships are at the heart of Head In The Game Charity’s suicide prevention work. By collaborating with professional #football clubs, we can extend our reach, using their trusted foundations to support their communities and fan bases. One of our most impactful collaborations has been with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust who have been a long term partner of ours since I first met them back in the spring of 2022. #mentalhealth #mentalfitness #collaboration #partnerships #suicideprevention

Great to see one of our long standing allies Steven Reid become a supporter of the charity!

Last night, I had the privilege of attending the Head In The Game Charity event at the University of Kent, where the focus was on navigating difficult conversations surrounding mental health. It was an evening filled with moving, thought-provoking, and inspiring stories that left a lasting impact. Head In The Game Charity is an initiative dedicated to using the power of sports – whether it’s men’s football or women’s netball – to support mental well-being. By bringing together communities around the sports they love, this charity fosters a safe space where individuals can connect and support one another. A huge thank you to Matthew Witts and Lisa Adams for taking the time to share your personal journeys, reminding us that even through challenging periods, there is always a path forward. Their stories showed true resilience, and the meaningful difference they’re making in their own communities today is very inspiring. Special thanks to Ewan Flack who not only shared his experiences but also provided us with valuable insights into NHS talking therapies. This information is essential, especially in times when mental health support is more crucial than ever. I also want to acknowledge Chris Payne ☁️ for his ongoing work and wish him the best in his upcoming projects (⚽️). Lastly, a warm thank you to Beatrice Duku whose efforts made this event a success. We had the opportunity to share our stance as ambassadors for Mind in Bexley and East Kent , explaining our initiatives with students, and promote the upcoming ‘Mental Elf’ run – a perfect complement to HITG’s mission to highlight that mental health is just as important as physical health. Thank you to everyone for a meaningful and memorable evening. I left feeling very inspired and appreciative 💙 #headinthegame #talkingtherapy #community #mentalhealth