Manchester United star Daniel James issues message to Wigan's mental health five-a-side team

Manchester United star Daniel James has issued a message of support to a Wigan football league dedicated to improving the mental health of its players.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The 22-year-old Welsh winger took to social media to send his thoughts to the players from Place 2 Place FC, who have been forced off the pitch during the Covid-19 lockdown.

In his video message, he said: “Wishing all the guys at Place 2 Place FC the very best during lockdown. I know it’s a tough time at the moment but stay active, stay at home and hopefully things will be back to normal very soon.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Daniel had visited Place 2 Place FC in February, braving a cold and windy night to see the five-a-side teams in action in Winstanley.

Dan James records his messageDan James records his message
Dan James records his message

Daniel spent more than two hours posing for pictures with fans in the cold, as well as chatting to players and learning about how Place 2 Place had helped them open up about their feelings in a relaxed and casual manner.

The group was founded by dad-of-two Peter Hill in 2017, as a way of easing more men into opening up about their mental health issues.

Peter came face to face with the devastating effects of mental illness when his best friend took his own life in 2014, at just 30 years old.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shortly after his friend passed away, his friend’s stepdad and brother also died by suicide. Within the space of 18 months, three men in the same family had taken their own lives.

It was following these tragic deaths, and then the shock of another, that Peter decided to take a stand against the stigma of speaking out about these illnesses, starting with a charity bike ride to Paris, before later going on to found the five-a-side team, which then became a league of its own.

Place 2 Place’s efforts to help people through their struggles have received a whirlwind of praise since its formation, but the nationwide lockdown has sidelines their fixtures until further notice, forcing them to think of other ways to keep supporting each other.

Peter said: “We secured sponsorship from Stateside Foods and Hodge Joiners and Builders just before [the lockdown].

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Money makes us sustainable through this crisis and we’ve been able to help three quarters within the club with emergency food parcels. The lads are also virtually cycling to Paris to keep spirits up - and we have been taking entries into an art competition. The art work will be displayed after this is all over, and we will run an exhibition in Wigan with money donated to an NHS fund.”

Members of the team have also started raising money for mental health awareness by taking sponsorship for their daily allowed exercise. To donate, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/reducesuicideinwiganplace2placefc

A message from the Editorial Director, Gillian Parkinson:

Thank you for reading this story on our website.

But I also have an urgent plea to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy when you pop out for your essential shop or subscribing for delivery.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves.

As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: "Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role."

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days.

We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE:

You can subscribe for delivery by contacting us at [email protected] or calling us on 0330 4033004 for details of a participating newsagent near you.

Related topics: