KIDDY IN TUNE WITH MENTAL HEALTH
KIDDERMINSTER Harriers are bidding to tackle the stigma around mental health after partnering with a leading charity as their new shirt sponsor.
The Kaleidoscope Plus Group logo proudly sits at the heart of the all-new Harriers home and away playing kits, which were released this week.
The National League North club are leading the way in equality, diversity and wellbeing in Non-League football following the appointment of Monica Shafaq, who is also the CEO of the Kaleidoscope Plus Group, as lead non-executive director for equality, diversity and wellbeing in January.
Earlier this year, the Professional Footballers’ Association reported a spike in the number of footballers seeking mental health support – and Harriers are doing their bit to help.
Neil Male, chief executive at Kiddy, said: “Mental health is still a huge stigma within the football community, even though it’s relevant to everyone in sport, even at the elite level. We want to work with players from the grassroots up to our first team, to educate them that it’s okay not to be okay.
Shafaq added: “The Kaleidoscope Plus Group is the only mental health charity to be supporting a National League club.
“Our sponsorship is designed not only to raise awareness and encourage people to talk about mental health but also to signpost them to relevant services, something which larger and more high-profile campaigns fail to do.”