Club and Foundation supporting mental health in dedicated matchday

Foundation of Light is working with Sunderland AFC to highlight important causes on matchdays throughout the 2024/25 season.

The first dedicated matchday will be held during the Black Cats’ match against Derby County on Tuesday 1 October, promoting initiatives that raise awareness and tackle mental health challenges ahead of World Mental Health Day.

International Day of Older Persons will also be recognised on the day with some local initiatives tackling social isolation in over 55s spotlighted.

The World Mental Health Day and International Day of Older Persons matchday is being held with the help of the Premier League Fans Fund which supports football clubs at all levels to strengthen connections between them, their fans, and local communities, including initiatives to develop inclusivity for under-represented groups.

Dedicated matchdays will be held across the 2024/25 season as Sunderland AFC and the Foundation of Light work to make the Stadium of Light and the wider city an inclusive place where everybody feels comfortable.

1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health issue each year; that's around 7,500 in a full capacity Stadium of Light!

Ahead of kick-off, SAFC players will wear Game of II Halves warm-up shirts to showcase the Foundation of Light's mental health and suicide prevention initiative. 

Call by the Beacon of Light Fan Zone from 5:30pm to meet some of the organisations tackling that statistic.

Among them will be representatives from Game of II Halves, Ripple Suicide Prevention, Space North East, and the SAFC Branch Liaison Council’s Mental Health Hub.

Beacon of Light Fan Zones also feature a range of inclusive family fun to keep you entertained before kick-off, including:

• Music
• Football Kickabout
• EAFC 24 on Xboxes
• Refreshments from Yard Nine café

Join us at the Fan Zone from 5:30pm until 7:30pm.