Speakeasy Benches #13 & #14 Sheffield Wednesday FC supported by Speakeasy Club
Speakeasy Benches #13 & #14 Sheffield Wednesday FC supported by Speakeasy Club
Sport has the power to positively change and save lives. Penarth-based Speakeasy Club is on a mission to put FREE wellbeing & Mental Health resources in every community sports venue in the world.
The power of conversations and sporting communities has led its founder to create the Speakeasy Bench, in a bid to inspire people to take time out and talk more.
Simon Clarke, Founder of Speakeasy Club said: ‘’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. We must make these places as accessible as possible for their communities and show the next generations the power of talking with each other. That’s what we aim to do through Speakeasy Club and why I want to see pink benches across Wales and beyond.”
Simon aims to see a pink bench in every community sports club in the world. Each bench has two QR codes. When you scan one of the QR codes it’ll take you straight to the online clubhouse where you’ll be able to access free mental health support and resources that can support you or your teammates. The idea is that they do all the work by collating the fantastic help that is out there, so it saves people time and energy.
Simon added’’ If I’d have had access to these resources at the places I was going to regularly, maybe I wouldn’t have found myself on the edge of a cliff on Barry Island’’.
One key aspect of the work Speakeasy Club are doing is helping people to find their ‘’Clubhouse’’. The place where they feel safe, and free from judgement and a place where they feel like they belong.
Despite being born and bred in Penarth, Simon has been a Sheffield Wednesday fan for over 30 years, and his clubhouse is their home ground of Hillsborough Stadium.
Simon said ‘’ I’ve supported Wednesday some 1993 and haven’t been able to shake them. For over 30 years with my father, I’ve travelled up and done the M1 regularly to watch the matches. During the darkest times of my depression and anxiety, watching Wednesday and wearing a hoody or a shirt was like my comfort blanket. It was the only thing that helped me at the time. Football is much more than just what happens on the pitch. ‘’
Speakeasy Club have partnered with the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme to deliver two benches – one at Jubilee Sports and Social Club and one at Hillsborough Stadium – and free mental health support to thousands of people.
Ben Winter, Deputy Head of Community says: ‘’ It’s a privilege to link with the Speakeasy Club initiative. Connecting SWFC with a charity that aims to provide vital support for people within our community. The benches donated to us are perfectly positioned to allow people to access the resources they might need, in a non-judgmental and private way. Supporting people’s mental health is extremely important to SWFC and this partnership will only improve our ability to do that.’’
Simon recently appeared on the popular Sheffield Wednesday fan’s favourite podcast The Wednesday Week, and spoke about the plans to support fellow fans by providing the benches.
Simon was joined on one of the pink benches outside Hillsborough stadium by regular podcast panellist and host, Stevie Spence
Stevie Spence, The Wednesday Week Podcast says: ‘’ I’m born and bred in the Sharrow area of Sheffield which is a predominantly (Sheffield) United area of the city. I started Supporting Wednesday with my sister back in the mid-1980s and haven’t looked back. The time I get to spend with my 10-year-old daughter each Saturday at the match means the world to me. Being part of the podcast is like having a second family at times and my clubhouse is very much that group of people and Hillsborough itself. Personally, and as a podcast, we’re delighted to support Speakeasy’s mission, and it aligns perfectly with the community work the podcast team has been doing recently. Wednesday is a huge part of thousands of people’s lives, so it’s exciting to provide more opportunities for likeminded people to look after each other’’
Having launched in Penarth, South Wales on World Mental Health Day in October 2023, there are currently 15 benches in place with over 400 QR codes scanned, with several more benches across the UK in the pipeline.
The aim to put a Speakeasy bench in every community sports club in the world is certainly a lofty one, but one Simon and the team at Speakeasy Club are committed to.
For further information on how you can sponsor or support Speakeasy Club’s mission at your venue, contact Simon at [email protected]
Speakeasy Classic Charity Golf Day
Title: Speakeasy Classic Charity Golf Day
Guest Speakers: Joe Ledley
Venue: Glamorganshire Golf Club
Date: Thursday August 22nd 2024
Speakeasy Club
- Breakfast on arrival
- 18 holes Texas Scramble
- Speakeasy welcome pack
- Live on course scoring with VPAR
- Longest drive & Nearest the pin competitions
- On course beverages
- Welcome back drink
- 2 course meal
- Clubhouse conversation with special sporting guests
- Charity Fundraising
- Charity Putting competition
As of 7th Augsut, We currently have 3 spaces left for teams and sponsorship opporunuties available proiced at £50 and £100 each .
If you’d like to get imvolved please contact Simon Clarke on [email protected]
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): [email protected] or www.speakeasyclub.co.uk