By Isle of Wight Observer
Footballers from across the Island and the Island’s High Sheriff, Graham Biss, marked World Mental Health Day yesterday (Friday), and promoted the role that football, and sport, can play, providing an open door and listening ear.
Clubs and the Isle of Wight Divisional Football Association (IOWDFA) have signed up to support the voluntary organisation, Men Only IOW, recognising the high level of mental health issues facing men on the Island, and nationally, with the IW Observer backing the campaign.
The non-clinical organisation is a peer support group, proactively helping others find solutions to prevent them experiencing poor mental health. They recognise they cannot fix people’s problems, but can support self-healing and commit to work with individuals on their journey, with empathy, and with an unconditional, non-judgemental approach.
The Island’s High Sheriff said: “As someone that has volunteered at grass root sport, I am very aware of the role that sport can, and does, play helping with people’s mental and physical heath needs, and World Mental Health Day highlights the services available, on the Island.”
The IW Council Suicide Prevention Plan 2023 highlights that the latest available statistics show that the Island rate for male suicide is significantly higher than the national average at 23.3 per 100,000 (39 men) against the national average of 15.9. Locally, 81 per cent of lives lost by suicide were male.
The Island’s rate for emergency hospital admissions for intentional self-harm is 279.3 per 100,000, also significantly higher than national average of 163.9.
IOWFDA representative, Geoff Ruck concluded: “One Team is very much a campaign where the football family hears, without lecturing, and understands without judging, and we welcome the support of IW Observer with the ongoing campaign.”
Gary Gee, from Ventnor FC, said: “Thanks to all Isle of Wight clubs supporting the campaign, including Sandown & Lake, Oakfield, Osborne Coburg, Ventnor, Whitecroft & Barton, West Wight, Brading, High Park, Ryde Saints, Vectis, Newport and East Cowes Vics, as well as Ventnor Cricket Club, IW Beach Soccer and Ventnor and Sandown & Shanklin rugby football clubs.”
For more details about the support available to men, please see this week’s Vectis View by Karl Hart on page 21.