Declan Rice backs mental health campaign - "I'm really here to use my voice"

West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice has become an ambassador for a suicide prevention organisation, Campaign Against Living Miserably.

The 23-year-old, who captains West Ham and is set to line up for England at the World Cup in Qatar later this month, has teamed up with CALM in a bid to raise awareness and challenge the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide.

Rice promised to 'really use his voice' working with CALM, saying: "No one deserves to go through mental health struggles alone. No one should have to put on a front and look happy but not feel that way inside. People deserve to be happy within themselves and talk to get the help they need.

"Speaking out is the most important thing. Bottling up just makes things worse. That's why working with CALM is key. When you have a conversation, you feel so much better, you can hold your head higher and feel lighter."

CALM CEO Simon Gunning added: "We are thrilled to have Declan on board. He is a great asset to our team and we know he will help us raise vital awareness of mental wellbeing and suicide prevention amongst his huge audience. Declan is a relatable and open leader - and a really positive role model for young people in the UK right now. We can't wait to see what we can achieve with him in our squad."

Rice went on to tease a new campaign from CALM which will launch ahead of the World Cup. "Keep an eye on socials this month," the former Chelsea academy prospect wrote. "We've been working on something special."

Have your say! Is football doing enough to tackle mental health? Give us your verdict in the comments section.

In September, West Ham became the first Premier League club to partner with R;pple, a suicide prevention charity set up by Irons fan Alice Hendy following the death of her brother, Josh, aged 21.

"It has been heart-breaking and extremely moving for everyone at the Club to hear about the tragic story of Josh," Michele Gull, director of human resources at West Ham United, told Mirror Football. "However it has been uplifting and inspiring to learn that Alice, as a tribute to her brother, has set up R;pple as a suicide prevention tool."

She also explained that a number of staff members at West Ham have qualified as Mental Health First Aiders and the club have an employee assistance programme. It's described by Gull as "a confidential service which is intended to help employees deal with personal problems that might adversely impact their work performance, health and wellbeing."

If you need confidential support you can call the Samaritans, which can be reached round the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If you need a response immediately, it's best to call them on the phone. You can reach them by calling 116 123, by emailing jo@samaritans.org or by visiting www.samaritans.org.

For more information about CALM, please visit http://thecalmzone.net/.

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