One bench, One match, a whole new ball game.....
New initiative set to tackle loneliness through football
A new initiative to bring people together through the power of football, connection, and shared experience is set to launch in Sheffield later this month.
One Bench, One Match – A Whole New Ball Game is delivered by Speakeasy Club in partnership with the Sheffield Wednesday FC Community Programme and the Campaign to End Loneliness at Sheffield Hallam University.
The project creates a safe, welcoming space for anyone who loves football but doesn’t always have someone to go with. One Bench, One Match brings together like-minded fans with similar experiences, including those who feel lonely, have lost a loved one, are new to the area or suffer from social anxiety.
The first official meet-up will be held from 11 am to 12:30 pm on Saturday, 31 January, at Hillsborough Stadium as Sheffield Wednesday face Wrexham in the Championship. The ‘bench’, which is permanently situated outside the club shop, will be the meeting point for the event. Anyone can sign up on the Speakeasy website, and all participants will receive a complimentary match ticket and a small souvenir of the day. 
Loneliness is rising in every age group, and the winter period and post-Christmas blues can heighten loneliness for many. Intergenerational relationships help to strengthen belonging, empathy, mental health and trust. Football is an ideal place to foster relationships across all ages.
The Campaign to End Loneliness has consistently highlighted loneliness as a public health issue with links to heart disease, dementia, depression and early mortality.
The Campaign to End Loneliness was established in 2011 to ensure that people most at risk of chronic loneliness are supported by organisations, services and policy. It moved to Sheffield Hallam University in 2024 to sit alongside the Centre for Loneliness Studies, which carries out world-leading research on loneliness.
Professor Andrea Wigfield, Director of the Centre for Loneliness Studies and the Campaign to End Loneliness, said: “We are proud and pleased to join forces with Speakeasy Club and Sheffield Wednesday Football Club to launch this new initiative, ‘one bench, one match’. We know from our research how devastating loneliness can be for both our mental and physical health. Football is a great opportunity to bring people together, forge social connections and a sense of belonging. The shared interest in your club, the communal chanting, the sharing of the club’s colours all help to foster a community spirit which means that you can attend a match alone without knowing anyone and yet not feel alone.”
Speakeasy Club is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2022, with a mission to use the power of sport to save lives by empowering, educating, and supporting individuals before they reach a point of crisis.
Simon Clarke, Founder of Speakeasy Club, said: “One Bench, One Match, A Whole New Ball Game is about working together to create simple, welcoming spaces where conversations can start naturally. Football has an incredible power to bring people together, and by partnering with the Campaign to End Loneliness and the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme, we’re using that shared love of the game to help people connect — reminding them that they’re not on their own and having a good laugh in the process.”
Sean Graves, Health Manager, Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme, said: “It’s great to be a part of this programme and hoping we can really make a change in the community and tackle mental health issues and loneliness.”
If you'd like to understand a bit more about the project, feel free to contact Simon Clarke on simon@speakeasyclub.co.uk
The initiative is supported by the Postcode Lottery Trust, LENSGO Visual Media, Goose Creative, and the Campaign to End Loneliness.
Meet you at the bench....
Speakeasy Club Awarded £45,561, Thanks to the Incredible Players of the Postcode Lottery
Speakeasy Club Awarded Game Changing £45,561, Thanks to the Incredible Players of the Postcode Lottery
Speakeasy Club is beyond delighted to announce it has been awarded £45,561 over the next two years, made possible entirely by the brilliant players of the Postcode Lottery. This transformational funding will significantly strengthen our mission to ensure no one feels alone when it comes to their mental health. We are eternally grateful to every single player whose contribution has made this possible.
This support arrives at a time when demand for Speakeasy Club’s work is accelerating far beyond available resources — and it will provide vital stability as we expand, professionalise, and deepen our impact across communities.
Strengthening Foundations During Rapid Growth
Speakeasy Club’s flagship initiative, the Speakeasy Bench, launched with a goal of 10 benches. In the first year alone, 21 benches were installed. Two years on, that number has now grown to 61, with each bench or barrel placed in a sports venue, café, workplace, or community hub, linking people to free mental health resources through a simple QR code — sparking curiosity and conversations that save lives.
This growth reflects the need, but has created significant pressure without core funding. The £45,561 grant from the Postcode Community Trust Wales and players of the Postcode Lottery allows Speakeasy Club to strengthen its foundations, scale responsibly, and meet demand sustainably.
Founder Simon Clarke said:
“This funding doesn’t just help us grow — it gives us foundations. The players of the Postcode Lottery are helping us build a future where no one has to struggle alone, and we are eternally grateful. Without them, we simply couldn’t reach as many people as quickly or as safely as we need to. To think about where Soeakeasy all began, and the people who have selflessly helped us along the way, it’s incredibly overwhelming to have been awarded such funding, but this support and encouragement mean the world and allow us to take the much-needed next step on our journey. Want to find out more? We’ll meet you at the bench ”
The grant lands as Speakeasy Club CIC looks to strengthen its organisational governance and expand its board from four to eight members following a skills-based review. Alongside a new reserves policy — crucial for long-term sustainability — these activities will be finalised by Spring.
A Catalyst for Greater Reach, Better Evidence, and Systemic Change
Thanks to the players of the Postcode Lottery, Speakeasy Club will now:
- Increase its reach, placing more benches and mental health touchpoints in community and professional sports venues. Working with world-renowned organisations such as Gilbert Rugby and more.
- Collaborate with higher education institutions to produce evidence-based reports that will change the game in mental health, proving why community sports venues are essential to wellbeing.
- Expand impact measurement, ensuring activity is backed by strong data and supported by a sustainable strategy.
- Continue developing digital tools, including the forthcoming “Pal in Your Pocket” mental health support app.
- Drive forward sector-leading campaigns,such as ‘8’ For a Mate, a major men’s mental health initiative planned for May 2026.
This funding empowers Speakeasy Club to move from fast-growing grassroots impact to a more resilient, research-led, and influential community mental health organisation.
Real, Measurable Impact
Speakeasy Club’s work has already led to powerful change:
- 61 benches and barrels installed
- 1,310+ QR code scans to online mental health resources
- 3,240+ people engaged through events and campaigns
- £23,000+ raised for community clubs
- 1,400+ podcast listens
- And at least one life saved — that we know of
The new Postcode Lottery funding will accelerate this impact, ensuring more conversations happen, more connections are made, and more people receive support at the moment they need it most.
The one aspect Speakeasy Club requires more than anything is time. Whilst this funding won’t solve this key problem entirely, it will go a long way to helping it.
A Movement Built on Connection, Curiosity, and Community
Speakeasy Club’s mission is to make talking about mental health a normal, everyday part of life — especially for men and the communities around them. Founder Simon Clarke brings lived experience and 25 years in community sport; ambassadors like Joe Ledley, Dai Flanagan, Shaun Edwards, and Gwen Crabb help reach audiences who may not otherwise hear messages around mental health and the power of being part of something.
With the support of the players of the Postcode Lottery, this movement is now stronger, more sustainable, and ready to reach even more people.
Speakeasy Club Receives £10,000 Boost from Barbarians FC Charitable Trust to Support Men’s Mental Health
Penarth-Based Speakeasy Club Receives £10,000 Boost from Barbarians FC Charitable Trust to Support Men’s Mental Health
Speakeasy Club, a community initiative born in Penarth to tackle Men’s mental health through the power of sport and conversation, has been awarded a £10,000 grant from the Barbarians FC Charitable Trust. The funding will help expand Speakeasy. The club’s growing network of projects is designed to get men talking, connecting, and supporting one another — on and off the pitch.
Interested in supporting our mission and getting a Speakeasy Club Pack for your club, thanks to our partnership with Gilbert Rugby? Get in touch today!
The Barbarians FC Charitable Trust, which supports causes that reflect the club’s inclusive and community-driven values, recognised Speakeasy Club’s unique approach to addressing deeply concerning issues. According to the latest ONS data (August 2024), the UK recorded the highest male suicide rate since 1999, with Wales reporting 14.0 deaths per 100,000 people — higher than both 2022 and England. Men aged 45–49 remain the most at-risk group, the same age group most active in community rugby.
Founded in Penarth, South Wales — a town with a long and storied connection to the Barbarians — Speakeasy Club began as a simple idea: to create spaces where men could talk more easily about life’s challenges. From those beginnings, it has grown into a national movement that uses sport, shared experience, and curiosity to spark open conversations around mental health.
Through initiatives like the Speakeasy Benches — now installed at sports clubs, cafés, and community spaces across Wales and beyond — men can access free online resources and support at the scan of a QR code. The Club’s podcasts, walking challenges, and ambassador Partnerships with leading sports figures have also helped normalise conversations around wellbeing.
The £10,000 grant from the Barbarians FC Charitable Trust will be used to support four key areas of work:
● Legacy & Accessibility: Installation of the iconic pink Speakeasy Benches with Barbarians club colours on the seats, each featuring a QR code linking to free online mental health resources.
● Storytelling & Connection: Sharing the story of the Barbarians' Benches and celebrating the link between community clubs and former Barbarians players.
● Legacy & Visibility: Production of Gilbert rugby balls & Speakeasy club packs featuring Speakeasy Club QR codes, to be used in training or displayed in clubhouses as daily reminders to talk, listen, and look after one another.
● Education: Delivery of educational workshops, equipping local players and coaches with tools to #lookaftertheboys through rugby.
The rollout of the Speakeasy Club balls and club packs will be delivered in partnership with world-leading rugby brand Gilbert, a company with a long-standing relationship with the
Barbarians. The collaboration brings together three organisations united by shared values — connection, community, and care for the game and its people.
“We’re incredibly proud to receive this support from the Barbarians FC Charitable Trust,” said Simon Clarke, founder of Speakeasy Club. “The Barbarians’ connection to Penarth runs deep, and this partnership feels like a homecoming. Together with the Barbarians and Gilbert, we’re backing the men who might look strong on the outside but are silently struggling on the inside.”
A spokesperson for the Barbarians Rugby Charitable Trust added: “We are proud to be supporting Speakeasy Club and the great work they do. Barbarians F.C. is supported across the world on the field, and, since its inception in 2004, the Barbarians Rugby Charitable Trust has been repaying that support by supporting worthwhile causes across the world — and we are delighted to be continuing to do that.”
As a Penarth-based company, we're incredibly excited to be working with such a historic club. The Barbarians have a proud history with Penarth, first touring there in 1901 and playing 75 matches in the town between 1901 and 1986 — a connection that continues to inspire us today. Through our unique Speakeasy Club Packs, including QR-code conversation tools, tackle bags, shields, and training bibs, we are helping clubs embed connection and mental well-being into every session.
Do you have a story connected to the Barbarians that you'd like to share? Does your club have Barbarians who once played there? Let us know!
We're delighted to be donating our unique packs to Old Penarthians RFC, Old Penarthians Mini & Juniors, Penarth RFC, Nantyglo RFC and RTB Ebbw Vale RFC.
Interested in supporting our mission and getting a Speakeasy Club Pack for your club, thanks to our partnership with Gilbert Rugby? Get in touch today!
For Speakeasy Club, this partnership is a powerful reminder that while sport brings people together on the field, it can also save lives off it.
ENDS
Media Enquiries:
Simon Clarke
Founder
Speakeasy Club
????simon@speakeasyclub.co.uk
???? www.speakeasyclub.co.uk
About Speakeasy Club
Speakeasy Club is a community initiative founded in Penarth, South Wales, using sport and
conversation to tackle men’s mental health. Its Speakeasy Benches, podcasts, and grassroots
projects are designed to get men talking and connecting. Each bench links directly to free online
support resources via QR code, and its work champions the message that being different — and
open — is cool.
About Barbarians FC Charitable Trust
Founded in 2004, the Barbarians FC Charitable Trust supports causes worldwide that reflect the
inclusive, community values of the Barbarians — a club famous for its sportsmanship,
friendship, and joy in rugby.
About Gilbert Rugby
Gilbert Rugby is a world-leading rugby brand with a heritage dating back to 1823. Proud
partners of the Barbarians, Gilbert shares Speakeasy Club’s belief that rugby has the power to
build connection, belonging, and well-being.
Walking for Connection: Bench-to-Bench Walk – The Golf One - 21st September 2025
Using Golf as a Positive Force for Change
On Sunday 21st September 2025, Speakeasy Club will partner with Zach Gould Golf, with support from Wales Golf, for a very special 40-mile “Bench-to-Bench Walk”. The route begins at the world-famous Celtic Manor Resort and ends at the historic Glamorganshire Golf Club – the birthplace of the Stableford scoring system.
The walk will pass through five golf clubs and five Speakeasy Benches, celebrating the power of golf to bring people together, build community, and support better mental health.
Each Speakeasy Bench carries a simple but powerful message: You’re Not On Your Own. Every bench also features a QR code linking to free online resources, offering immediate help to anyone who may be struggling.
Golf as a Catalyst for Connection
For many, golf is about much more than the scorecard – it’s about friendship, belonging, and being part of something bigger. That message is felt strongly by Ria Burriage-Male, a new member at Pontypridd Golf Club, one of the stops along the route.
“I used to enjoy playing golf with my family when I was younger. Recently I returned to Pontypridd GC and it’s been a game-changer. I love the competition, I love the camaraderie and I love the fact I can go out and play a few holes on my own. Enjoying the fresh air, green spaces, and the freedom it brings has been huge for my mental health.” – Ria Burriage-Male
Walking for Better Mental Health
Since the very first Bench-to-Bench Walk in September 2024, over 50 walkers have collectively covered more than 1,000 miles to raise awareness and funds.
For Speakeasy founder Simon Clarke, this September’s walk holds special meaning:
“We’ve already walked over a thousand miles between 37 sports clubs and 32 of our benches, but this one is special. It finishes at Glamorganshire Golf Club – where I grew up playing, and the only club I’ve ever wanted to be part of. Golf has given me so much on and off the course, and these benches are about giving something back – building communities, providing free resources, and showing people they’re not on their own.” – Simon Clarke, Speakeasy Founder
Building the Future Together
Funds raised from the walk will go directly into expanding Speakeasy’s work – building more benches, providing free mental health resources, and supporting new-to-golf programmes that give more people the chance to experience the game’s benefits first-hand.
Theo Baker, Head of Participation and Club Governance at Wales Golf, said:
“Wales Golf is proud to support the Bench-to-Bench Walk, highlighting the role golf can play in building connection, community, and positive mental health. Together we can make a lasting impact, both on and off the course. It’s important that there is a legacy to challenges like this, and we’re looking forward to working with Simon and the Speakeasy team to expand this support across Wales.”
Zach Gould, former Junior Ryder Cup player and now one of golf’s leading health and fitness experts, added:
“Golf has been such a big part of my life – from the highs of representing Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup to now helping golfers improve their health and fitness. But what matters most is how the game brings people together. The Speakeasy Bench-to-Bench Walk is an incredible way of showing that golf is about more than sport – it’s about connection, wellbeing, and supporting each other on and off the course.” – Zach Gould
???? “On and off the course, golf has the power to change lives.” – Zach Gould
Simon Clarke concluded:
“With over 20 years’ experience in the sport and leisure sector, we know the financial pressures clubs and governing bodies face. Everything we do is designed to relieve that pressure. Sport has the power to connect people in ways health and social services can’t always reach. By working with Wales Golf, we want to roll out more benches across clubs, support new-to-golf initiatives, and make mental health a natural part of the game.”
Event Details
- Date: Sunday 21st September 2025
- Route: Celtic Manor Resort → Newport Golf Club → Pontypridd Golf Club → Radyr Golf Club → Glamorganshire Golf Club
- Distance: Approx. 40 miles
- Cause: Raising funds for Speakeasy benches, mental health resources, and community programmes
Wales Golf - www.walesgolf.org
Zach Gould Golf - www.zachgouldgolf.co.uk
Speakeasy Club CIC - www.speakeasyclub.co.uk
The Speakeasy Survey 2023
The Speakeasy Survey 2023
WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
Our survey has given us a clearer picture of how we can better support our community – by offering more learning opportunities, developing their interests and helping them stay well. We used these findings to craft actions that will make sure we’re helping them reach new heights. It’s all part of the mission to help everyone learn, connect and grow as individuals.
WHAT DID WE FIND OUT?
72% of respondents said ‘lack of time’ was a barrier to pursuing interests.
People rated personal development a 7.9/10 in terms of importance to them, and professional development was rated at 7.3/10.
77% of respondents said that their family was their top priority amongst everything.
43% of respondents said regular meet-ups were the top area of support they desired in terms of improving their wellbeing.
OUR KEY ACTIONS
Create an online & in-person community.
Make information relatable, relevant, and as easily accessible as possible.
Questions we need to ask ourselves constantly:
Do we have the person at the heart of this decision?
Will this make people’s lives easier? Happier? More enjoyable?
Will this help people challenge their thinking and support their curiosity?
Is it fun and authentic?
A one stop shop, where everything you need is inside one online community, all at the click of a button.
It’s your online clubhouse! Everything that you talk about in YOUR clubhouse is now online and easily accessible.
Wellbeing, conversations, events and more…
Speakeasy Bench #4 - Dragons RFC Supporterd by Addis Housewares
Speakeasy Bench #4 - Dragons RFC Supported by Addis Housewares
RODNEY PARADE LATEST WORLD FAMOUS VENUE
TO BECOME HOME TO SPEAKEASY CLUB ‘PINK BENCH’
Last week it was Sheffield Wednesday’s world renowned Hillsborough and this week it is Dragons RFC’s famous Rodney Parade ground that has welcomed the latest Speakeasy Club ‘pink bench’ in the battle to open up conversations on mental health.
Long-standing Owls fan Simon Clarke, the founder of the Penarth-based Speakeasy Club, has been trekking around Wales and England linking up with sports clubs to try to spread the gospel about opening up to friends and family when times get tough.
Clarke’s mission is to put free wellbeing and mental health resources in every community sports venue in the world, with the Speakeasy Bench being the current delivery model.
Each bench is strategically placed to attract attention and its distinctive colour stimulates curiosity. Two unique QR codes on each bench then allow people to scan in straight to the online clubhouse where they are able to access free mental health support and resources to support themselves and their teammates.
Rodney Parade, one of the oldest sporting venues in Wales and home to both Dragons RFC and Newport County, is the latest venue to adopt a bench for the new season in similar fashion to Sheffield Wednesday, who took two last week.
Last month Clarke installed a bench at St David’s RFC in Pembrokeshire and a bowls club in Ebbw Vale. Since October last year there have been seven installations and there are several more in the pipeline.
On top of that, Speakeasy Club has partnered with Rugby Mental Health charity Looseheadz, and is going to work with all 274 registered rugby clubs in Wales to stress the power of conversations within sporting communities.
“I’m a big supporter of open, honest, and curious conversations on the training pitch as well as in the clubhouse,” explained Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan.“It was really interesting being part of the clubhouse conversation on the bench with representatives from across the Dragons and the different perspectives on what the club means to people were very powerful.“My local rugby club Penallta RFC means the world to me and my family, so I know first-hand how important it is to come together in a safe space with the common interest of rugby at heart. Long may it continue.”
Clarke founded Speakeasy Club to try to inspire people to take time out and talk more after he struggled with his own mental health andc one day found himself maybe on the edge of a cliff on Barry Island.
“Sport has given me so much throughout my whole life. When I was struggling with my own mental illness, the rugby club clubhouse was my safe space and almost a refuge from reality,” said Clarke.
“We must make these places as accessible as possible for their communities and show the next generations the power of talking to each other. That’s what we aim to do through Speakeasy Club and why I want to see pink benches across Wales and beyond.”
The latest bench will be installed at Rodney Parade ahead of the new BKT United Rugby Championship season. It also comes a week after the news that England cricket legend Graham Thorpe took his own life after suffering from severe depression.
“The idea is that we do all the work for you by collating the fantastic help that is out there. It saves you time and energy,” added Clarke.
“I often wonder whether if I’d access to these resources in the places I was going regularly, maybe I wouldn’t have found myself on the edge of that cliff at Barry Island.”
Dragons RFC Community manager Mike Sage has sited the Speakeasy Bench at the heart of the club’s fan zone at Rodney Parade.“Our growing ‘Family of Provisions’ encompass Sport, Education, Inclusion, Community Outreach and Health and Wellbeing to drive change and positive outcomes. The work Speakeasy Club are doing to complement these areas in partnership with us makes complete sense,” said Sage.
“We pride ourselves on being committed to inclusive rugby opportunities, and that extends to the wellbeing of all involved with our community programme and the Dragons RFC, both on and off the pitch.’’
For further information contact Simon Clarke (founder): simon@speakeasyclub.co.uk or www.speakeasyclub.co.uk