Yeovil Town Football Club Links with Samaritans

Released On 11th Oct 2019

Yeovil Town FC is linking with their local branch of Samaritans to support the Real People, Real Stories campaign for World Mental Health Day on October 10th. The campaign aims to encourage men to seek help by sharing the stories from men who have overcome difficult times with support from others.

A survey by Samaritans found that two in five (41%)[i] men in England, Scotland and Wales aged 20-59 do not seek support when they need to, because they prefer to solve their problems themselves. This group includes men who are most at risk of suicide.

The campaign includes the stories of several men who have overcome tough times, to encourage others to seek help by calling Samaritans 24/7 free on 116 123 or visiting Samaritans.org.

Faye Dimdore, Listening Volunteer with the Yeovil Branch, said: “We know men can sometimes find it really hard to admit they are having trouble coping and can be reluctant to seek help, and we want to say that at this branch we do our best to make it easy to get in touch with Samaritans and talk to a volunteer. We are here to take calls 24/7 free on 116 123.”

David Mills, Chief Operating Officer at Yeovil Town FC  said: “At Yeovil Town we take the mental wellbeing of our supporters, players and staff seriously and we’re delighted to be able to raise awareness of Samaritans’ Real People, Real Stories campaign for World Mental Health Day and beyond”.

Ex-Premier League footballer and professional boxer, Leon McKenzie, who supports the campaign, said: “I know how tough it gets when you’re in that dark place. I’ve been there, not wanting to exist anymore. By sharing my story and supporting the campaign, I hope other men understand that you can climb back up with some help. It’s so important to seek help early on and Samaritans are here to listen.”

Although the survey by Samaritans also found that 78% of men say it’s OK to admit you’re not feeling OK, many still avoid speaking out when they’re finding life tough. A quarter of men (25%) felt their problems weren’t important enough to warrant calling a helpline.

Almost 3 in 10 men (29%) said loneliness and isolation had made them feel low in the past.

Find out more about Real People, Real Stories.

You can also support by following the campaign @samaritanscharity on Instagram or sharing the video on Twitter @samaritans or Facebook at , using the hashtag #RealPeopleRealStories.