A Wee Blether With...
The former Rangers and Kilmarnock footballer on his mental health charity
Kris Boyd, former footballer and founder of mental health charity, The Kris Boyd Charity
Why did you set up The Kris Boyd Charity?
My younger brother, Scott, took his own life. None of the family saw it coming and there were no warning signs. We decided to raise awareness about mental health and try to stop any family from suffering the way we did.
Who does the charity help and support?
It’s aimed at anyone struggling with their mental health, but I also wanted to do something for young footballers. They’re at a football club from 12 and then, at 17 or 18, if the club decides they’re not good enough they’re put on the scrapheap. I’ve seen that affect a lot of young people.
What work does the charity do?
We do live sessions with psychologists and counsellors. It’s OK not to be OK. The worst thing you can do is keep quiet. We try to raise awareness about how to engage with somebody if they open up to you. Don’t say, “What have you got to moan about? You’ve got a nice life.” Mental health doesn’t discriminate.
What has the support for the charity been like from the football community?
They’ve done anything I’ve asked. The Scotland National Team, Rangers and Kilmarnock have been great. Scott Brown, the outgoing Celtic captain, has been very good. It doesn’t exist exclusively for the football community, but if footballers need help they can speak to us, of course.
Is mental health awareness in football better now than when you played?
I only hung up my boots a couple of years ago but there’s a lot more awareness.
There’s still a hell of a lot more work to be done, though. Mental health is going to be an ongoing fight forever.
The charity does a lot of work in schools in Ayrshire, how have you seen pupils respond?
There is a lot of concern just now around teenagers, it’s something that the whole of society needs to keep an eye on and it’s something The Kris Boyd Charity is aware of. Schools are an important part of our work.
What else does the charity do?
We sponsor an art school in Ayrshire to help children. We also gave £10,000 to the Ayrshire Samaritans a couple of years ago. We’re involved with Ayrshire College too, for students and just anything that we can do to help them.
What kind of fundraising events do you put on?
The golf day, the sportsman’s dinner and the Valentine’s ball event. What we’re seeing from those turning up – whether buying a raffle ticket, a table or sponsoring an event – is the goodwill from people all around Scotland.
What message do you have for anyone struggling with their mental health?
Everybody will be different, but to anybody who is struggling, don’t be alone. At The Kris Boyd Charity, we can’t promise to cure anybody or make all their ills go away, but we can signpost people to the relevant places. Look for help and speak to somebody – your work colleague, your partner, your neighbour. Please speak up.
To find out more visit www.thekrisboydcharity.co.uk