Gareth Southgate joins league football managers in backing a suicide prevention campaign

England Manager and football managers across the Premier League, EFL and WSL back suicide prevention partnership as it rolls out across the country

England Manager, Gareth Southgate has backed a partnership, led by the League Managers Association (LMA) and the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, which aims to help prevent suicide - as it is rolled out across the country following a successful launch in Greater Manchester in 2021. 

To kick-start the national rollout of this ground-breaking partnership, a new film has been created featuring Gareth Southgate, Andy Burnham, all 20 Premier League Managers and managers from across the EFL and WSL. The film aims to use the managers’ influence and reach to raise awareness of the free online suicide prevention training, which nearly two million people across the country have taken so far.

The training is a crucial part of the Shining a Light on Suicide campaign, run by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership since 2019. The award-winning campaign works to bring the word suicide out of the dark, so that everyone can confidently start open and honest conversations about suicide and suicidal feelings.

Suicidal thoughts are more common than people realise, with suicide being the biggest killer of men under 49 and women aged 20 to 34. Research shows that using the word ‘suicide’ appropriately let’s other people know it is ok to talk about suicidal feelings and that the person asking is there to listen.

The film features managers of professional football teams across the country and the football leagues to ensure it is far reaching.