My brother’s suicide was shattering

BEDER CHARITY FOUNDER AND FULHAM FAN RAZZAK MIRJAN

AS a World Cup hall of fame, it’s an impressive cast.

Five of England’s squad counting down to their moment of truth in Qatar, including skipper Harry Kane, have donated signed shirts.

World Cup winners Paul Pogba and Raphael

Varane have sent autographed boots, and a cause which tugs at the heartstrings is endorsed by a generous sprinkling of stardust.

Fulham season-ticket holder Razzak Mirjan set up the Beder charity – named after his younger brother, who committed suicide as a teenager in April 2017 – adopting a unique, softly-softly approach to a scourge which shames Britain.

In a first-world society, it is absolutely scandalous that, cancer aside, suicide is the biggest killer of men aged between 18 and 50.

Now football is becoming an important vehicle for raising awareness of the issues which lead too many young people to choose the ultimate way out.

During the tournament’s knockout stage, the Beder World

Cup Experience at the Noho Showrooms in London’s West End (December 6-18) will harness the power of football to help tackle the mental health maze.

The Beder Hall of Fame and Boot Room will contain a collection of signed shirts from Premier League A-listers (David De Gea, Harry Maguire and John Terry, all right).

And Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes has given the Beder project his full support, even recording an interview explaining how he takes time out to look after his own mental health.

“To lose your

18-year-old brother by taking his own life is a shattering experience,” said 32-year-old Razzak, a commercial intellectual property lawyer (above (right) with Beder (left) and younger sister Maryam).

“It’s hard to come to terms with it when it comes completely out of the blue. I had lived a fairly sheltered life before then, and never came into contact with suicide in any shape or form.

“We will never know the exact reasons for Beder’s decision, which makes coming to terms with his choice incredibly hard to process.

“We used to go to Craven Cottage and enjoy the matchday environment together as Fulham fans, and it was that shared experience that gave us the idea of starting a charity in his name.

“As a family, it offered us the chance to keep his memory alive and gave us a platform to play our part in promoting mental health awareness.

“Football has been a huge part of my life. It’s a great way to break down barriers, bring people together and share common interests.

“The Beder World Cup Experience is looking to bring together the beautiful side of the game whilst providing an invaluable opportunity softly to raise the profile of important issues in society.

“Only last week, two talented young footballers passed away in tragic circumstances.

“We hope to make a difference so fewer people suffer in silence and feel that taking their own life is the only option.

“Whilst we understand that it is not possible to rewrite history and have him with us today, we believe there is a silver lining that can be salvaged from our darkest days.”

Beder FC, a club open to all-comers, play once a month at Dorking Wanderers’ Meadowbank stadium in a bespoke kit and badge.

Fulham legends Barry Hayles and Sean Davis have turned out for them, along with former Watford striker Marvin Sordell, one of the charity’s ambassadors.

And Beder isn’t just about football – they have even produced a cookbook with celebrity chefs revealing a favourite recipe and their own mental health tips.

In the next month, we may be reunited with a familiar sense of national mourning if England come a cropper in the desert.

But some things are more important than football.

It’s OK not to be OK. www.beder.org.uk