Pembroke Hamilton Club’s young stars were among members of the local community to raise awareness of mental health issues recently.

Players and staff used the month of October to highlight the stigma surrounding the subject and to support people struggling with mental health problems.

Natalie King, chair of the PHC Education Committee, was instrumental in the campaign and believes the community will have benefited from the initiative.

“October 10 was World Mental Health Day and we believe it is important to promote mental wellness to raise awareness and provide support for individuals dealing with mental health issues,” King said.

“This need has been highlighted at PHC in recent years as our club has been greatly impacted by the losses of members such as Marco Warren, Mazhye Burchall and Leroy “Nibs” Lewis.

“Focusing on mental health helps create a more supportive, understanding, and resilient community. We believe that an informed community improves access to mental health services and resources, allows individuals to seek the help they need without fear of judgment, and can lead to early intervention and better outcomes.”

The programme had buy-in from across the PHC membership with players wearing green bands on their arms during games and spectators asked to wear green when attending matches to highlight the issue.

A social media blitz also took place and the Bermuda Hospitals Board were on hand to provide advice and the opportunity to talk to mental health professionals at two PHC home games.

“To help raise awareness, our senior men’s football team wore green bands at every game played during the month of October, we encouraged fans to wear green to the games and had mental health giveaways at home games,” King said.

“Additionally, we partnered with the Bermuda Hospitals Board to set up a pop-up booth at PHC Field during our home matches on October 8 and 20. The booth provided an opportunity for individuals to learn more about mental health and to speak with a professional about their mental health needs.

“We have an amazing social-media team, who posted a video highlighting our men’s senior players promoting mental health and they posted various mental health tips during the month.

“We encouraged our members to show their support by participating in the second annual Steps to Mental Wellness 5K fundraiser, which was held on October 6. Lastly, we have organised a presentation for our PHC coaches highlighting mental health and working with young people.”

The programme has been warmly received by the PHC community and the wider public in Bermuda and King is hopeful that the club’s efforts will have reached people in need of support.

“The main goals we have are to reduce the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help,” King said.

“We are doing that by encouraging open discussion, to promote a supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their struggles and seeking assistance, to improve access to resources by ensuring that people know where and how to get help when they need it, and to highlight that mental health plays an important role in your overall wellbeing.

“We have been thrilled to see such positive responses to our mental health initiatives. The community’s engagement and support have been fantastic, and we hope that our efforts are making a meaningful impact.”