Prince William is set to unveil a groundbreaking suicide prevention resource for the sporting world today at Everton Football Club’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, marking World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
Titled “On Your Side: A Suicide Prevention Toolkit for People in Sport,” the initiative will be launched alongside prominent figures from British sport.
Dame Kelly Holmes MBE, Gabby Logan OBE, Jill Scott, and Sir Jason and Dame Laura Kenny are all ambassadors of the programme.
Together with The Royal Foundation, the prince will urge the sporting community to rally behind a common objective: preventing suicide.
Prince William is set to unveil a groundbreaking suicide prevention resource for the sporting world today at Everton Football Club’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, marking World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10
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In his speech, Prince William is expected to say: “My hope is that every sporting organisation in the country will look at what is being launched today and ask a question: ‘What more can we do?’ Because the opportunity before us is enormous.
“Sport has the ability to reach people who may never walk through the door of a mental healthcare service. People who may never seek support themselves and may be struggling in silence. The sporting community can help change that.”
The event represents a significant moment in efforts to embed mental health support within sport at every level.
The toolkit was created in collaboration with the British Standards Institution, the UK’s national standards body, and mental health charity Chasing the Stigma.
Jill Scott pictured with Prince William in 2022
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Its central aim is to transform well-meaning intentions into concrete action across sporting settings.
Practically, the resource gives individuals the confidence to identify warning signs, initiate supportive conversations, and direct people towards appropriate help before a crisis develops.
It is designed for use across the full spectrum of sport, from local community clubs through to academies and elite-level organisations, regardless of their size or structure.
Crucially, the toolkit is not limited to athletes alone.
It is intended for coaches, volunteers, families, spectators and anyone involved in a sporting environment.
The resource guides four principal areas: establishing safe environments where individuals feel comfortable speaking up and supporting those in distress; integrating suicide prevention into routine policies and working practices; educating people within sports organisations to recognise signs and respond to those in crisis; and implementing clear protocols for crises and post-suicide support, including signposting to relevant services.
This targeted initiative for the sports sector follows the establishment of the National Suicide Prevention Network in autumn 2025.
The Royal Foundation committed more than £1million in funding to the network over an initial three-year period, intending to transform how suicide is understood and prevented across all four nations.