The Premier League and the New Football Pools have joined forces to tackle men's health.
The Premier League today announced an exciting partnership that will see top flight football clubs help tackle the many serious health issues that men suffer.
Premier League Health is a unique £1.63m programme funded by the New Football Pools to help improve the state of men's health, particularly in deprived areas, all over the country.
• The fact remains that English males have a major problem with the poor state of their health;
• Men still have a lower life expectancy than women (77, compared with 81);
• Men have a higher incidence rate for cancers and suicide;
• More than 120,000 men in the UK die prematurely each year;
• Men are less likely to go to a GP or pharmacy and don't seem to want to participate in public health improvement programmes as much as women do.
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Premier League Health will see 17 of the clubs currently in the Premier League work with local health agencies such as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to engage over 4,000 men. The project will aim to tackle issues as diverse as depression linked to unemployment, obesity and general poor physical health, as well as alcohol and substance abuse. It will target men aged 18 and over, with many clubs placing NHS health trainers within the stadiums themselves, taking referrals from local GPs.
The project will also encourage men to play more sport, with some training them to become football coaches themselves. They will also point the men who take part in the direction of other agencies that might be able to help improve their health.
Launching the project at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore said: "Premier League clubs have shown in recent years the diverse range of issues that they can tackle through the extensive work they do in their communities. Many already partner with their local Primary Care Trusts, using the interest that people have in the club to help improve their health. In fact, almost 90,000 people took part in health-specific activities at our clubs last season.
"Only a few years ago football clubs were viewed solely as teams that competed on the pitch every weekend. A modern day Premier League club does far more than that. They now employ hundreds of staff dedicated solely to running an array of community-focused projects that are having an enormous impact. I am sure Premier League Health will go on to do the same."
WELLBEING MATTERS
Ian Penrose, Chief Executive of Sportech PLC, who own The New Football Pools said: "With the re-launch of the Pools this season comes a renewed commitment to fans and their communities. Over its 85-year history the Pools have contributed over £1.1billion to football, other sports and good causes.
"Today, we are delighted to be contributing further to this legacy ensuring The New Football Pools are as relevant to football and society as ever. Our new games and products engage daily with a new generation of Pools players, providing ongoing funding opportunities for tremendous social programmes such as Premier League Health."
Professor Alan White of Leeds Metropolitan University, the world's first Professor of Men's Health, who sits on the steering group of Premier League Health, said: "The men this partnership is aimed at are a generation that have very few services specifically designed for them yet face some of the greatest health challenges both now and throughout their lives.
"Using Premier League clubs sends a very clear message to these men that their health and wellbeing matters, that thought has gone into using locations that they will enjoy being in, and that they are valued."
Former Fulham player Geoff Horsfield said: "I was fortunate to be diagnosed with testicular cancer at an early enough stage to be able to fully recover and return to playing football with Lincoln City. I know from my experience that awareness of potential health problems and then engaging with the health services is a problem for many men. That is why I fully support the efforts of the Premier League and the New Football Pools to use the iconic nature of Premier League football clubs and players to start addressing these issues."
The Premier League Health Steering Group has already confirmed over £1m of the funding for 10 clubs to start their projects immediately, with each targeting issues that are a particular problem in their own area.
To see what each club is doing for the Premier League Health, click here.
. But Hull board is already pleased by 12th position in the table. So I incline to be pleased by my team’s start as well.
Moreover, I decided to build team over his personality setting him as captain!
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