The West Ham Foundation & R;pple Tournament Raises Funds for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health

On 18 September, football, community and powerful causes came together at The Foundry, as R;pple and the West Ham United Foundation hosted our second annual five-a-side charity tournament.

In partnership with Shawbrook Bank, Hampshire Trust Bank, and West Ham United FC, the day united players and supporters on and off the pitch to champion mental health and suicide prevention.

A tournament with purpose

The charity tournament welcomed 20 teams and over 170 participants to the Foundation's new home at The Foundry for a day filled with excitement, sportsmanship, and open dialogue about mental health and suicide prevention.

The energy on the pitch, the incredible atmosphere, and the enormous corporate and community support made the day truly special for everyone involved.

Together, more than £30,000 was raised to support the work of R;pple Suicide Prevention Charity and the West Ham United Foundation.
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Celebrating our champions

The tournament showcased talent and spirit across all competitions:

• ‍Men’s Cup – Allica Bank
• Women’s Cup – Fieldfisher‍
• Plate – TSA Riley
• Bowl – Shawbrook 1
• Spoon – AWH

Individual awards went to:

• Player of the Tournament – Abraham (Shawbrook 1)
• Top Goalkeeper – Teddy (AWH)
• Top Goalscorer – Georgia (Fieldfisher)

Breaking down barriers through sport

“In four-and-a-half years, 32 people have told us they are still here today because R;pple intervened at their moment of crisis,” revealed R;pple Founder and CEO, Alice Hendy MBE. “One of those individuals was actually playing in today’s tournament, which shows just how powerful this technologycan be.”

West Ham United Foundation CEO Joseph Lyons, delighted to host the first football tournament at The Foundry, emphasised football’s power to spark difficult conversations and highlighted the preventative mental health work carried out by the Club’s official charity.

“Seeing the Foundry come to life with a tournament like this makes me incredibly proud,” said Lyons. “The work R;pple does, and the work our Foundation staff do around mentoring and detached youth work, are slightly different but deeply complementary.

“As a football club, we have a unique power, using sport to engage, with coaches who are also trained to spot the signs and support young people. Events like this wouldn’t happen without partners like Shawbrook Bankand and HTB, who take their social responsibilities seriously and help us give back to the causes we care about.”

Former West Ham and England striker Carlton Cole, now an Ambassador for the Foundation, was among those lending his support.

"It's just good to be here and see all these guys enjoying football, and doing it for the right causes as well," Cole said. "I've had experiences in my life when I've been really low. Talking to someone is massive, it puts things into perspective, but I understand that some people don't have that strength, and that's where love and support become so important.

"When I had my kids, even when I wasn’t going through the best of times, I knew I had to be there for them. Your life is always worth it. In football, we talk about resilience and masculinity, but now empathy is becoming more important. Days like today shine a light on that, recognising the signs when people are struggling and showing care."

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The sponsors who made it possible

This event wouldn't have been possible without our sponsors:

Gold Sponsors: Shawbrook Bank & Hampshire Trust Bank
Silver Sponsor: TSA Riley
Bronze Sponsors: Kuits Solicitors, Anderson Wilde & Harris, Align Property Finance, Brickflow
Honorary Sponsor: FinWELL Training

Mark Hedley from Shawbrook Bank, a second-year sponsor,summed up the day’s impact: “Suicide prevention and community support are causes close to all of us. Everyone of us knows someone who has struggled. Everyone on the day helped spread hope and showed that no one has to face struggles alone. Events like today remind us of the power of coming together to make a difference.”

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Looking forward

By placing football and mental health side by side, the charity tournament is a powerful reminder that mental health is something we can all talk about openly - and support one another through.

It once again showed the power of community, sport, and shared purpose in breaking down barriers and sparking meaningful conversations.

As we look ahead, events like this continue to shine a light on the importance of recognising the signs when people are struggling and showing care for one another.

Together, this growing network of individuals and organisations is creating real change, and we can’t thank everyone enough.

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