Mental Health Awareness Week: Lewis' story from personal loss to mental health ambassador

After suffering heartbreaking losses of close friends, Lewis Spence immediately connected with the Game of II Halves project and knew that he had to get involved.

Working in the commercial department at Sunderland AFC, Lewis heard about the project at one of the club’s Veterans’ Breakfasts.

Steve Brindley, who leads on the delivery of Game of II Halves, was talking at the breakfast, and it immediately struck a chord with Lewis.

“The moment that I heard the stories, I knew straight away it was something that I had been longing for,” said Lewis.

“I wanted to be able to make a difference but never knew quite how to do it.

“Unfortunately, I’ve lost a lot of friends to suicide, close friends at that, and not understanding why they did what they did, what drove them to do it.

“It’s something that really sticks in the back of my mind and always will.”

Ambassadors of the Game of II Halves undergo several free training courses, including SHUSH suicide prevention training.

The aim is to equip them with skills and knowledge through training and workshops, to act as mental health ambassadors, allowing them to help and signpost anybody who may need it.

“Knowing what the triggers are, knowing how to identify and help someone, steer them to the right support networks and groups, that’s something that means a lot to me,” Lewis added.

“I didn’t know before what the support services were. I’ve learned from the project and some of those training courses that I have been on, there’s so many different support groups out there for people.”

While national suicide rates have fallen, it continues to be the biggest killer of men under the age of 50 in the United Kingdon.

Lewis, working in the football industry, sees the Game of II Halves project as a way of reaching to a community that is often reluctant to seek help.

He added: “As part of my role, I’m the first point of contact for a lot of men associated with football.

“With my qualities of being able to listen, I can take my time and make sure somebody feels as though they’re not being judged, and that they know they can talk to me.

“I can’t provide the solutions, but I can provide them with the ways in which they can get the solutions themselves.

“Men’s suicide is up there, it’s in the highest percentile. So, with our demographic at the football club and Foundation of Light, we hit that right on the head.

“It’s important that we have that awareness, so that people can get the support that they need.

“The thing with this project is that it’s so easy to do. There’s so many courses you can go on that can really help you gain awareness.

“Then you could save somebody’s life, just from talking, from listening.”

You can find out more about the Game of II Halves project here: Click Here