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Rovers and City unite for charity
Talk Club, Bristol Rovers Community Trust, and Bristol City Robins Foundation are teaming up to host The Talk Club Cup – a charity football match bringing together both sides of the city for a cause that truly matters.
The match will take place on Tuesday, April 29, at the Rovers’ Memorial Stadium, with kick-off at 7:00 PM.
Putting aside City and Rovers’ fierce and longstanding rivalry, the must-see match features teams made up of former football players and local celebrities, going head-to-head not just for the win but to raise awareness and vital funds for men’s mental health.
is needed now More than ever
All proceeds from the event will be split evenly between Talk Club, Bristol Rovers Community Trust, and Bristol City Robins Foundation, with a focus on improving the mental wellbeing of men in Bristol.
In 2024, 25 men in Bristol died by suicide – the equivalent to two full football teams plus the match officials.
Gavin Thorpe, one of Talk Club’s founders, says: “Rivalry aside, we are all football fans and we all need support at some point in our lives. We hope to do more around the UK to help our mission of creating a mentally fit society.
“At Talk Club we always start our conversations with ‘How are you? Out of 10?’ and explaining the reasons for our score. It’s simple, but we know it can make a real difference.
“It helps men understand how they are feeling, build their resilience, and improve their overall mental fitness. On average, a Talk Club group raises a man’s mental fitness by more than 15 per cent.
“We also offer talk and exercise groups for men who want to combine their mental fitness with physical fitness, so the Talk Club Cup feels like a really natural progression of this. We’re really grateful to both Rovers and City for coming on board.”
Talk Club hopes the Talk Club Cup will be the first of many.
🧠 We’re very proud that #BristolRovers were one of the first clubs to embrace the important work that @talkclubcharity do for men all over the country.
ℹ️ We have a brilliant and dedicated duo in Jack and Tom who host and run sessions every week! 💙#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
— Bristol Rovers CT (@BristolRoversCT) May 16, 2024
Adam Tutton, CEO of Bristol Rovers Community Trust, said: “We are incredibly excited to be hosting the first ever Talk Club Cup.”
Dan White, CEO of Bristol City Robins Foundation added, “Shining a spotlight on the support available for those suffering from mental health issues is really important and we’re delighted to be coming together as a city to raise the profile of the work across the three charities.
“Funds raised via the matchday are vital for the Foundation to continue delivering impactful programmes in the community.”
Talk Club now has 14 free-to-attend groups across the city, including a group set up with the Bristol Rovers Community Trust.
Bristol City Robins Foundation also run a weekly men’s mental well-being session, Robins Talk.
Tickets for the Talk Club Cup on Tuesday 29th April are available now at bristolroverscommunity.org.uk/talkclubcup.
Gates open 5.30pm, with kick off at 7pm. Full list of participating players to be announced soon!
Talk Club Cup added that following on from the match they will be holding their Talk Club Mental Fitness Month in May.
As one of the worst months for male suicides, they will be focussing on helping men everywhere to become mentally fit through events that start real conversations and raise funds.
Main photo: Talk Club
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