The Prince and Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday, September 10, as Prince William called on the sports sector to unite in the fight to prevent suicide.
The visit marked World Suicide Prevention Day, with the Prince urging the sporting world to work together towards a shared goal of preventing suicide. He was joined by leading figures from sport, including Dame Kelly Holmes MBE, Gabby Logan OBE, Jill Scott MBE, Sir Jason Kenny and Dame Laura Kenny.
Launch of On Your Side toolkit
During the event, Prince William launched On Your Side: A Suicide Prevention Toolkit for People in Sport, described as the first toolkit of its kind designed to strengthen suicide prevention across sporting environments. It was developed in partnership with the British Standards Institution and mental health charity Chasing the Stigma.
The toolkit aims to turn good intentions into everyday action by giving people across the sporting world the confidence to recognise warning signs, start supportive conversations and connect individuals with help before they reached crisis point.
Sport stars and royal visit
The event was hosted by Gabby Logan, with the Prince discussing the power of sport in supporting wellbeing and resilience. The project is supported by sport stars including England football captain Harry Kane, Dame Kelly Holmes and former England football star Alan Shearer.
The Princess of Wales wore a blue suit for the visit to the home of Everton FC. The couple were shown around the dressing room area and sat on the Gary Speed memorial bench with the late footballer's mother, Carol.
"Sport can save lives," Prince William told sports players, mental health charities and sports industry figures. A group photo included Trevor Steven, Ruqsana Begum, Jac Morgan, Jack Laugher, Rocky Clark, Jill Scott, Dame Kelly Holmes, Tony Bellew, Gabby Logan, Graeme Sharp, Dame Laura Kenny, Kate Cross, Campbell Hatton, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, Leon Osman, Anna Hopkin and Maggie Alphonsi.
