Whitehawk host Dulwich for Mind mental health charity match

Whitehawk FC will host Dulwich Hamlet at the Enclosed Ground today, Saturday, after the two sides joined forces in February last year for a virtual fundraiser for mental health charity Mind.

Funds donated to Mind help with vital research. One study by the charity found that young men young men are twice as likely to feel suicidal than a decade ago.

The latest event is spearheaded by current Hamlet striker Danny Mills, who previously spent five years at Whitehawk, and hopes to raise a huge sum for the charity this time around.

The Enclosed Ground

“This has been such a hard couple of years for everyone, and people’s mental health has taken a knock in one way or another,” said Danny.

“Losing jobs, struggling through the cost of living crisis, and losing loved ones.

“This campaign is to let them know that help is out there and that they are not alone, to check in with their friends and family to make sure they’re okay and that help is available.

“There is nothing wrong with not being okay. We’re all in this together. We all need to talk.”

The Shout Out for Mental Health campaign this Saturday will see live music and raffles at the ground from 1.30pm, before the two sides get stuck in to a charity match at 3pm.

It is the first outing for Whitehawk this year, and is the first time their loyal fans will catch a glimpse of the new look team.

Whitehawk fans will be cheering on their beloved team this weekend

New manager Shaun Saunders has completely overhauled the squad, bringing in a swathe of new signings after the Hawks suffered a disappointing run of games last season.

But looking ahead to today, Whitehawk chairman Andy Schofield said the day is about more than 90 minutes of play.

“We are two very progressive non-league football clubs, who see our influence in the community going beyond just playing football,” he said.

“There has been an increasing awareness that mental and physical health go hand in hand, especially since lockdown, which means more people are now talking about the issues they face.”