The FA Heads Up

Heads Up

The FA and Heads Together partner to spark the biggest conversation ever around mental health

This Sunday's FA Community Shield final sees the launch of #HeadsUp, kicking off a nationwide conversation on mental health.  The joint #HeadsUp campaign with the charity Heads Together will be officially launched by Prince William at the game on Sunday 4th August.

Please see the launch video below:

This exciting new campaign will harness the influence and popularity of football to help show the nation that we all have mental health and it is just as important as physical health. It will strive to raise awareness, spark conversation and signpost support for those in need.

During Sunday’s FA Community Shield’s pre-match ceremony, a short film by The Duke of Cambridge will introduce the Heads Up campaign and encourage both sets of fans in joining in the singing of the clubs’ anthems, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and ‘Blue Moon’. The singing will be led by two community choirs – iChoir from Liverpool and Bee Vocal from Manchester – both were created to support mental wellbeing and to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health. The iconic anthems will refer to themes of isolation and the importance of togetherness, core messages behind the campaign.

At a grassroots level, a new comprehensive guidance for coaches and managers will be distributed to FA affiliated clubs, to support them in identifying the signs of mental health and offer support and signposting where needed to help improve the mental wellbeing of players.

Heads Up will also become The FA’s nominated charity and will see The FA work alongside designated charity partners Mind, CALM, Sporting Chance and Heads Together to raise vital funds for mental health initiatives and support

To learn more about the campaign, please go to TheFA.com/HeadsUp

While the conversation around mental health has grown significantly in recent years, mental health problems remain one of the biggest issues in society today. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 and it's time this changed.

Football is our national game. Millions of people watch and play football ever year, and many of us won’t go a day without talking about it. With our new campaign, Heads Up, we want everyone to feel comfortable talking about their mental health, in the same way they would about football, and feel able to support their friends and families through difficult times.

Heads Up will illustrate that everyone should prioritise maintaining their mental fitness as well as their physical fitness. During the season, the campaign will also provide resources, training and direction towards support when needed.

The Heads Up campaign encourages people to talk about mental health, and for people to treat mental health the same way they approach their physical fitness.
 

Crisis Messenger

If you need more urgent support, Crisis Messenger text service provides free*, 24/7 crisis support across the UK.

To get help with a range of issues, you can text HeadsUp to 85258.

  • Who’s on the other end of your text message?

    We know finding the right support is important especially if you need someone to talk to right now. Crisis Messenger connects every texter to a trained volunteer who will chat with you by text. They will listen to you and help you think more clearly, enabling you to know that you can take the next steps to feeling better.

  • How does it work?

If you need some immediate support, text HeadsUp to 85258

The trained Crisis Volunteer will introduce themselves, reflect on what you’ve said, and invite you to share at your own pace. You’ll text back and forth, only sharing what you feel comfortable with. By asking questions, listening to you and responding with support, they’ll help you sort through your feelings until you both feel you’re in a calm, safe place. You might be made aware of some other services that can provide you with further help, so you can continue to get support.

Crisis Messenger can help with urgent issues such as:

  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Abuse or assault
  • Self-harm
  • Bullying
  • Relationship issues

Important information - Mobile Network Disclaimer*

It’s free and confidential to text Crisis Messenger from the following major networks: EE, O2, Three and Vodafone, which also include - BT Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile, iD Mobile, Sky, Telecom Plus, Lebara and GiffGaff.

Some Android phones issue a warning that you’ll be charged for texting us, however provided you’re on one of the networks listed above this warning is incorrect and you will not be charged.

If you text us from a network that is not on this list there is a possibility that you may be charged for the messages and that they may appear on your bill. This applies to a very small minority of operators.

It is not possible to text the service from some networks, which do not provide the capability to message short codes. These include Lyca mobile. If your message will not send, or if you do not receive an automated message in response, it is an indicator that the service is not working.

If in doubt, please contact your mobile phone network before texting

FA partners:

Mind | https://www.mind.org.uk/?utm_source=thefa&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=heads_up&utm_content=partner_carousel

Calm | https://www.thecalmzone.net/help/get-help/?utm_source=thefa&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=heads_up&utm_content=partner_carousel

Sporting Chance | https://www.sportingchanceclinic.com/

Heads Together | https://www.headstogether.org.uk/?utm_source=thefa&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=heads_up&utm_content=partner_carousel

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