Southport Rugby Football Club are committed to assisting the community with any mental health needs they may require. We have recently received funding and support from local charity, Community Link Foundation and invested in training members from a variety of sections of our rugby club to become mental health first aiders.

We are very pleased to announce that these people are now in place and trained to support any issues that players, volunteers, parents, coaches and the wider community may have. This has been coordinated by Gareth Lang, our mental health ambassador, who has engaged with Give A Ruck - a rugby based mental health charity who have partnered with our club .

We, as a club, have more plans in place to further our mental health support, but it’s great that we are now beginning to talk about mental health in our club, our game and in our lives.

Please welcome our mental health, and talk to them if you want to talk.

Southport RFC Mental Health First Aiders:

• Andy Lawton
• John Gillow
• Dan Whalen
• Colin Toohey
• Sam Lawrenson
• Gareth Lang
• Mandy Trevarton
• Tracey Green
• Mike Dale
• Agata Barkowska Martins
• Alison Atkinson
• Faye Dagnall

Give A Ruck was developed to help rugby players, club members, volunteers and coaches feel more comfortable talking openly and honestly about their mental health and wellbeing. Inspired by players who had the strength and courage to speak out, we hope Give A Ruck will help to inspire many others to do the same.