Worthing FC's charity day for Olly's Future raised £870 at Saturday's 3-0 loss to Sutton. Founder Ann Feloy also spoke out on the Worthing Samaritans closure.
Worthing FC raised £870 for the suicide prevention charity Olly’s Future at Saturday’s home match against Sutton United, a fundraising day for the charity the club has adopted as its Charity of the Year.
The money came from collections around the ground and a share of the match-day raffle, the charity said. The football went less well: a crowd of 3,048 watched Sutton score three times before half-time, through former Worthing striker Temi Babalola, an own goal from Jayden Moore and a Charlie Carter penalty. There were no more goals after the break and it finished 0-3.
The Rebels will work with the charity for the rest of the season.
A charity started by a Worthing mother
Olly’s Future is a national charity set up in memory of Oliver (Olly) Hare, who died by suicide on 14 February 2017, just before his 23rd birthday. It was founded by his mother, Ann Feloy, who is from Worthing.
Its work includes training people to spot the signs that someone may be thinking of suicide and to have a conversation that could help save their life. More than 11,500 people worldwide have taken part so far, the charity says.
Ms Feloy said: “We’re delighted Worthing FC has chosen Olly’s Future as Charity of the Year.
“Years ago, I went with my family to watch the team. My son Oliver loved playing all kinds of sports, from football and rugby to tennis and squash.”
She linked the partnership to On Your Side, the recent campaign by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, hosted by Jake Mills’ Hub of HOPE and fronted by Harry Kane. “This is what [that campaign] looks like on the ground,” she said.
“It’s a local club being bold enough to get behind the message that suicide prevention is everyone’s business, and particularly football where the majority of spectators are men.
“We all know the facts that three quarters of suicides are by men and that suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50. Supporting our suicide prevention charity goes a long way to reaching that vital target audience and we’ll be working with the club to ensure we can help save lives from suicide together.”
“Two steps back”: the Samaritans closure
Ms Feloy used the day to raise the closure of the Worthing Samaritans branch’s premises, which she said had left volunteers “reeling”.
“This comes at a time when the town is in shock about the closure of its Worthing Samaritans branch,” she said. “I’ve spoken to many in the past week, since they were told of the closure of their premises in an efficiency drive.
“Local volunteers tell me they are being asked to work from home, which they feel is not tenable as it’s vital for their own well-being to be with colleagues, or else drive to Brighton to carry out their shifts.
“For every step forward in suicide prevention, there seems to be two steps back. The Samaritans are closing numerous premises around the country. Worthing is not alone.”
Supporters’ Club coach money and a one-off badge
The club’s Supporters’ Club, run by Natalie Lunn, is giving some of the proceeds from its away match coach travel to the charity.
“I work as a nurse and know how difficult it is to access care for physical health let alone mental health,” she said. “So when we were looking for a charity to support I went online and found Olly’s Future, which is based locally.
“I have sons myself and some of their formative years were during Covid and I know how difficult it can be for young people. So, it is great to be able to contribute to a charity doing such valuable work.”
The club made an enamel badge for the occasion, pairing the charity’s “Love and Light” logo with the Worthing FC crest. It proved very popular with supporters, the charity said.
“More than 3,000 people gathered together”
The charity’s chief executive, James Davies, was part of the fundraising team on Saturday. He has followed non-league football for most of his life.
“For us it is excellent to have such a relationship with a club which shows how much it cares about the issue of suicide,” he said.
“You see more than 3,000 people gathered together in one space and this offers a chance to open up about issues which are concerning them. They are with friends and are experiencing a sense of belonging as they get together to support the team.
“Non-league teams may not have the resources and the large fan-base of the bigger clubs, but they are very obviously rooted in towns such as Worthing and play a major part in the community. Tickets are also affordable in ways that Premiership attendance is not for many people.”
Mr Davies said he had seen for himself how much going to a match can mean to someone who might otherwise be on their own.
“I recently lost my grandmother and my grandfather, aged 87, had been her carer in her last years,” he said. “He has started going each week to watch both Portland United and Weymouth matches along with other family members, which stops him just being at home and alone with his thoughts, and when I went with him he really did open up about his feelings.”
The match
Sutton were three up by half-time and the second half was goalless. The attendance of 3,048 is the crowd Mr Davies had in mind when he spoke about the reach a non-league club has in its town.
What it means for you
- Charity of the Year: expect Olly’s Future at Worthing home games through the season, with collections and the Supporters’ Club’s coach travel donations.
- The training: the charity’s suicide prevention training is described on its website.
- If you need to talk: Samaritans can be called free, day or night, on 116 123.
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