For a lot of MAN v FAT gamers, stepping out onto the pitch after becoming a member of the programme is the primary time in a few years that they’ve kicked a ball.
However, after pulling on the boots once more, the lads typically get the urge for food to play extra soccer as their health grows.
Our MAN v FAT St Helens gamers are taking this to the acute, with an upcoming fundraising occasion in August, the place they’ll play for twenty-four hours to lift funds for the Sean’s Place charity.
Sean’s Place is a males’s psychological well being charity that goals to enhance males’s psychological well being and well-being throughout Merseyside, by way of assist particularly recognized to enhance confidence and shallowness for males while decreasing despair, stress and nervousness and suicidal ideas.
Debbie Rogers, CEO and Founder, mentioned: “Enormous thanks to everybody at MAN v FAT for selecting Sean’s Place to assist. To have so many males selecting to participate to lift consciousness of psychological well being for different males and fundraise to assist our service is unimaginable.
“That is how we really save lives collectively. Easiest of luck to everybody collaborating, and thanks on behalf of all of us at Sean’s Place!”
To search out out extra in regards to the occasion, we caught up with the blokes behind the occasion in St Helens, to learn the way it took place.
1) Inform us how the concept for the fundraising recreation took place?
The thought took place when one among our lads, who’d simply returned from harm, was wanting to play, however we didn’t have sufficient individuals out there that night. He was going to overlook the subsequent session too, so it felt like we’d hit a little bit of a soccer drought. Somebody joked, “I might play for twenty-four hours straight,” simply to make up for the dearth of video games. That joke shortly changed into a severe dialogue, and we thought, why not?
A 24-hour match could possibly be an ideal option to carry everybody collectively, get lively once more, and lift cash for a very good trigger. We put out a ballot to see if others have been on board, and the response was overwhelmingly constructive. It was clear this wasn’t only a one-off thought—it was one thing everybody wished to get behind. And from there, issues snowballed quick, with native venues and sponsors leaping in to assist make it occur.
2) The St Helens membership has constructed a incredible neighborhood within the final couple of years – how have the lads received behind this and different neighborhood based mostly concepts?
The St Helens lads are fiercely aggressive, however what actually stands out is how welcoming and supportive we’re as a bunch. We push one another to be higher, whether or not that’s on the pitch or in supporting native causes. We’ve all the time received one another’s backs, and it’s that unity that makes us stronger.
As a membership, we’ve raised over £6,000 for numerous charities and native causes, together with fundraising for Oddballs and Muscular Dystrophy UK. We’ve completed numerous charity drives and all the time be sure to rally across the neighborhood when wanted. Whether or not it’s a workforce member working an occasion or us collectively pitching in for a very good trigger, we’re all the time able to step up and assist the place we will.
3) How did the membership come to decide on the trigger?
As a bunch, everyone knows how necessary bodily well being is—that’s why we joined MANvFAT within the first place. However psychological well being is simply as very important, and infrequently doesn’t get the eye it deserves. We felt it was necessary to assist a trigger that tackles that aspect of issues head-on. Once we appeared into choices, Sean’s Place actually stood out.
Their work is about eradicating boundaries and offering quick, non-judgemental assist to males throughout Merseyside—serving to to cut back isolation, nervousness, and despair. After listening to their story and the way the trigger was arrange in reminiscence of Sean, it struck a chord with numerous us. Selecting them was a simple determination.
4) What excites you most in regards to the occasion and what do you suppose would be the largest challenges?
Before everything, what excites us most is the possibility to do one thing actual to assist Sean’s Place. If this occasion helps elevate consciousness, begins conversations, or makes a tangible distinction to even one individual, it’ll be price each aching muscle. Realizing that we’re backing a trigger that gives quick, life-changing assist to males who’re struggling—that’s the true driver for us.
On high of that, there’s the excitement of seeing the neighborhood rally collectively, particularly in these robust evening hours when vitality’s low and workforce spirit carries you thru. The largest problem will likely be conserving everybody going for the total 24 hours—however with the trigger we’re enjoying for, we’ll discover a option to dig deep.