A mental health charity has teamed up with rival Belfast footballing sides for the launch of a new confidential text support service.
Players from the senior Cliftonville and Linfield mens’ teams pitched up at the home ground of the former club, Solitude, to help promote the launch on Thursday.
The charity Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issues (TAMHI) unveiled the free service, which is run in partnership with the UK mental health text initiative, Shout and supported by the LFT Charitable Trust.
Representatives of the South Belfast Youth League and the Northern Ireland Women’s Football Association also turned out to show their support.
TAMHI founder, Joe Donnelly, spoke of how local sporting groups have been rocked by the recent loss of lives to suicide.
“The sporting community has been devastated by a number of deaths by suicides recently,” he said.
“And we are doing what we can, teaming up with local leagues...to encourage people to reach out and access support.”
A TAMHI spokesperson added that any communications with the volunteer-run initiative are “completely confidential, and messages will not appear on your phone bill, ensuring accessibility and peace of mind for those reaching out”.
To begin a conversation, users can simply text ‘Teammate’ to 85258.
