Sheffield United become first football club in north to sign up to new suicide prevention scheme
It's being introduced by the Baton of Hope & is supported by the PFA
Last updated 18th Dec 2025
Football players at Sheffield United will kick-off a new campaign with a different kind of signing at their stadium this weekend.
The club has become the first in the north of England to sign-up to a new suicide prevention programme which will benefit players, staff and supporters.
The ‘Workplace Pledge’ is an initiative created by suicide prevention charity The Baton of Hope and supported by the Professional Footballers’ Association.
The programme teaches people what signs to look for and how to speak to someone who may be suicidal, and it comes amid rising concern surrounding the number of people taking their own lives. More clubs are expected to follow suit in the new year.
Men’s captain Japhet Tanganga says the team welcomes the new campaign and are giving it their full backing.
“Suicide is a massive issue that goes largely overlooked and even ignored and we know that three-quarters of the people who take their lives are men. We want to encourage both men and women to fully recognise the magnitude of this national catastrophe and urge people not to suffer alone.”
Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 and women under 35 in the UK. Sheffield United is only the second professional football club in the country to join the initiative and manager Chris Wilder has said he’s fully behind the project.
“We know that despite the great energy from our fans that many people wear a mask and very often don’t want to reveal that they’re facing emotional challenges because they think they’ll be judged as weak. But vulnerability is not a weakness. We as a club are determined to stand up to suicide.”
The campaign will be launched at Saturday’s (20th Dec) game at Bramall Lane where United take on Birmingham City and at the women’s team against Southampton on the following day. During the matches digital messages will be displayed encouraging fans to be more aware of the power of compassion and how to take part in suicide awareness sessions.
Women’s captain Ella Kinzett said: “We are all in this together and owe it to each other to show compassion. It’s estimated that when someone takes their life 135 are affected in the aftermath. If we unite, we can bring about change. We know now that the vast majority of suicides are preventable and talking about it is the first step when it comes to standing up to suicide.”
The Workplace Pledge is the brainchild of charity The Baton of Hope. It has been adopted by several major British companies including the Royal Mail, British Steel and Sheffield firm Westfield Health.