Prince William narrates mental health video to play ahead of FA cup matches

To encourage men to focus on their mental health, all Football Association (FA) cup matches this weekend will have a short mental health awareness video played before kick-off. The video is narrated by the president of the Football Association, Prince William. Public Health England's (PHE) Every Mind Matters collaborated with The Royal Foundation's Heads Together to produce the thought-invoking film.

A study conducted by the PHE concluded that men in the United Kingdom are less likely to seek help or address their mental health issues. The study interviewed more than 3,300 adults across the country. It concluded that larger numbers of men failed to seek help for their mental health concerns.

PHE's Every Mind Matters initiative gives all UK citizens access to online mental health assistance. One can visit Every Mind Matters to get a personalised "mind plan," which is a self-help guide aimed at improving mental health. Even with the free online help available, many individuals choose to bottle up their mental health concerns instead of addressing them.

With the help of members of the football fraternity, the Duke of Cambridge hopes to make football fans take a minute to reflect on their mental health. William narrates, "In life, as in football, we all go through highs and lows." Along with his narration players, managers and pundits make an appearance in the film to make it more relatable for the fans.

The video also explains Every Mind Matters initiative and states how easily one can get their "mind plan." William also states that addressing one's mental health can boost one's mood, improve one's sleep and help prepare for life's ups and downs.

All 32 FA cup 3<sup>rd round fixtures over the weekend will take the time to feature the video.

Sky News pointed out that an extra behind-the-scenes film has footballers like Dele Alli and Jordan Pickford speak about what they do to improve their mental health.

Mental health campaigner Rohan Kallicharan shared his support of the initiative. Kallicharan struggled with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. After overcoming multiple suicide attempts, Kallicharan has been advocating the importance of discussing mental health. He feels that by playing the film ahead of matches, it will encourage football fans to talk about and reflect upon their mental health.