Financial services and property firms raised more than £50,000 for suicide prevention and community projects at a charity football tournament organised by Shawbrook’s Mark Hedley.
Almost 300 players representing 28 teams from the financial, mortgage, real estate and business consultancy sectors took part in the event at West Ham United Foundation’s The Foundry.
The third annual tournament was held on World Suicide Prevention Day and raised money for Ripple Suicide Prevention Charity and West Ham United Foundation.
Former West Ham United players Matt Jarvis and James Collins also joined the event, which organisers said was the largest tournament held so far.
SUICIDE PREVENTION
Money raised for Ripple will support the development and deployment of technology designed to intercept online searches relating to suicide and self-harm and direct people towards mental health support.
The charity said its technology had intercepted more than 120,000 harmful searches since 2021 and had helped protect almost two million people worldwide.
Funds will also support West Ham United Foundation’s health and wellbeing programmes in east London.
Alice Hendy, Chief Executive Officer of Ripple Suicide Prevention Charity, said: “To host this tournament on World Suicide Prevention Day was special and seeing all the players and supporters who attended made me feel quite emotional and proud.
“We are incredibly grateful to everybody who attended and helped us raise this incredible sum of money which will enable us to further develop our technology and deploy it to more people at their most vulnerable moments.”
INDUSTRY SUPPORT
The tournament was sponsored by Shawbrook, HTB, Cheffins, Anderson Wilde & Harris, Align Property Finance and Kavanaghs.
Mark Hedley, Relationship Manager at Shawbrook Bank and tournament organiser, said: “Watching nearly 300 people from across our industry come together for a cause this important was genuinely humbling.
“What began as a simple idea to use football to bring people together has, three years on, become a day of real connection, open conversation and meaningful support.
“To raise more than £50,000 for Ripple Suicide Prevention Charity and West Ham United Foundation is an incredible achievement, and it is down to every team, sponsor, volunteer and supporter who gave their time so generously.”
Organisers are now planning to expand the tournament again in 2027.
