Matchday Mental Health Hub
Matchday Mental Health Hub, in association with the Beacon of Light and Washington Mind,
Matchday Mental Health Hub #fanssupportingfans
The Branch Liaison Council journey started in March 2019 when one of our supporter branches held a fund-raising event at Victors, a pub in Sunderland, for Man Health.
The event raised fantastic £2,300 with £1,700 donated to Man Health and £600 to the Foundation of Light.
While on pre-season in Portugal, several of our branches came up with the idea of a matchday mental health hub, the beginning of our #fanssupportingfans.
The Branch Liaison Council, in conjunction with the Foundation of Light launched our first matchday hub in November 2019, manned by two trained counsellors from Washington Mind along with volunteers from the Branch Liaison Council
Matchday Mental Health Hub Opening Times #fanssupportingfans
We are open every Saturday home game between 12:30pm – 2:30pm to both home and away supporters who maybe struggling and need to speak to a trained counsellor or just to call in for a coffee and a look round.
Visitors to the hub will receive a warm, friendly welcome, a private room is available for one to one conversations.
Due to current Government guidelines and the absence of fans at matches, the BLC and Washington Mind have offered an alternative to the matchday mental health hub with the provision of a daily live chat facility and plans are in place for the provision of a telephone support service in December and January.
- Launched in 2019 with assistance from Washington Mind and The Foundation of Light
- BLC members attended suicide awareness training
- Open every Saturday home match day in the Beacon of Light for both home & away supporters
- Launch of The Branch Liaison Council Fans supporting Fans page
- Recognised by SAFC, HRH Duke of Cambridge, Premier League and EFL
Fans Space Live Chat
Over the years, the Sunderland Branch Liaison Council has been proud to stand by our supporters — not just in the stands, but in life. Mental health affects many of us, and we’ve always believed that nobody in our fanbase should feel alone in facing it.
Like the game itself, our support has had to evolve. With fewer traditional Saturday 3pm kick-offs in recent seasons, we’ve adapted the way we connect with fans. We started by trialling a dedicated telephone support line, which helped us reach out to those who might be struggling between matchdays.
It was an important first step — and it showed us just how much this support was needed. Now, we’re proud to be offering a more visible presence on matchdays. For every Saturday 3pm Home Game, you’ll find us in and around the Stadium of Light before kick-off.
Our goal is simple: to chat with fans, check in with those who might need a bit of extra support, and signpost people toward services that can help. You’ll also see us handing out our early-access support cards, which feature a QR code that links directly to a range of local mental health resources.
Whether it’s talking to someone immediately or finding longer-term support, these cards are designed to get help into the hands of those who need it — quickly and discreetly. We’ve also partnered with Washington Mind to provide a live chat service, offering fans a private and confidential way to talk to trained professionals. This is available for anyone who prefers a more immediate, online connection to support.
At the heart of everything we do is a belief in community, and in the power of football to bring people together. Being a Sunderland fan means being part of a family — and families look after each other. So if you’re ever feeling low, overwhelmed, or just need a chat, please reach out. Whether it’s in person on matchday, online via the live chat, or by scanning one of our QR codes — help is always just a conversation away.
More about our Matchday Mental Health Hub #fanssupportingfans
“If we can save just one person then everything, we’ve done has been worthwhile,”
While being proactive in raising funds for charities since its introduction in the early 1970s, the branch has taken further steps to help its supporters over the last few years with the introduction of a Matchday Mental Health Hub – the first of its kind.
“Before lockdown, we had eight hubs for three hours leading up to kick-off. We had seven people who came in to access support and it developed into something afterwards. In terms of visitors, we had over 150”
Through lockdown Washington Mind have been marvellous, we changed it to text support and telephone support
The initiative has also attracted interest from other clubs in England and Scotland ranging from Premier League to Division 3 and lately a Rugby League club.
If you do need support, or simply just someone to talk to, the Matchday Mental Health Hub is there to help.
