The View FC needs your votes to be in for a chance of winning funding from the Aviva Community Fund for their new ‘Silent Project.

The Aviva Community Fund, open to everyone, offers the chance to get funding for an important cause in your community. 

The fund will finance over 500 projects across four different fund levels and three categories, giving money to communities across the UK.

The View FC’s ‘Silent Project’ aim is to provide mental health workshops throughout Brighton & Hove for men aged 16-45 which will be facilitated by the club but run by Mind charity.

Mental Health is a well-known and recognised disability and many professional footballers have been courageous enough to talk about their mental health in public to try and drive more support for those going through Mental Health.

A suicide statistics report, released last year, by the Samaritans showed there were 6,639 suicides in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) in 2015. Of that figure 4,997 were men, meaning 75 per cent of all suicides in 2015 in the UK and the ROI were committed by men.

Sussex County FA Football Development Officer, Jade Harker has been working with various clubs throughout Sussex to try and provide further opportunities, support and discussions around Mental Health.

Recently Jade linked up with Andy Lindley, Chairman of The View FC to work together to bring a Mental Health Workshop to Sussex which will benefit players, coaches and anyone involved with football.

Andy Lindley (The View Chairman) said: “One of our players recently suffered a tragic loss when his sister and friend to the club took her own life. We also lost a player in the Shoreham Air Disaster. Whilst these are unrelated it has caused the club to look at our player’s mental and physical health and take stock of issues that our members may be suffering in silence.”

Jade said: “Working with clubs is absolutely key to changing the negative stigma that surrounds Mental Health. We have a range of brilliant disability focused clubs in Sussex and it is now just fantastic to be working alongside a mainstream club like The View.”

Andy added “The cost is £425 per workshop and we are looking to put on a number of workshops throughout Brighton & Hove, reaching at least 400 delegates in the first year. Our ultimate aim as a club is to have a mental well-being officer appointed within our club and to encourage every affiliated club to follow suite - just like a first aider or safeguarding officer.” 

The three-hour workshop, mental health awareness for sport and physical activity, was developed with support from sports coach UK, and is designed for coaches, sport administrators, volunteers and front of house staff. 

The practical workshops will help attendees: 

• Understand common misconceptions about mental health and the impact of stigma and discrimination
• Identify the positive impact that being active has on physical and mental health
• Appreciate the barriers that stop people getting active
• Talk confidently about mental health
• Know where to signpost people to if they need support
• Identify practical actions to make your service more accessible for everyone

Find out more about the project and to vote, please visit the Aviva Community Fund projects page.

For further information about ‘Silent Project’ please contact The View FC:

The View FC
E: chairman@theviewfc.co.uk