LooseHeadz Launches First-Of-Its-Kind Mental Health Solution
Rugby’s mental health charity gains support of Capgemini and Onebright in fresh bid to improve and save lives.
Craig Doyle, a LooseHeadz trustee, hosted the event in London
Wednesday 29th January, 2025 – Tackling mental health in rugby has been given fresh hope, as the sport’s leading charity, LooseHeadz, announced a new 3-step plan on Tuesday evening.
What started as a conversation at the end of a clubhouse bar at Wilmslow Rugby Club between mates in 2017, has now grown into a global movement that’s aiming to revolutionise mental health awareness and support within rugby clubs around the world.
Hosted by Craig Doyle, The New Chapter launch event saw LooseHeadz put down a clear and ambitious marker for the future of dealing with mental health in rugby, which sees the support of global business and technology transformation partner, Capgemini, and leading mental health treatment provider, Onebright, commit to a unique 3-step plan:
1. CONNECT: With Capgemini’s support, LooseHeadz is building a virtual platform that will bring its global community closer together. The platform will provide easier access to mental health toolkits, simplify the sign-up process for clubs, and offer a centralised location for resources.
2. DELIVER: LooseHeadz is developing an innovative qualification and training system tailored specifically for rugby clubs, and their mental health leads. This system, designed to speak the language of rugby, aims to address the shortcomings of traditional mental health first aid courses by relating the content to specific rugby situations.
3. SUPPORT: Through a partnership with Onebright, LooseHeadz has begun a ‘gold standard’ clinical support system pilot, providing immediate access to professional help for those in need. This new initiative is designed to bridge the gap in mental health support by addressing the barriers people face, such as long waiting times or expensive private care. The pilot programme is currently in three UK-based amateur rugby clubs, and although the pilot is in its infancy, LooseHeadz is able to show that the rugby community is seeking support via the new LooseHeadz Onebright pathway, thus offering a more efficient and accessible way for individuals to get the support they need.
LooseHeadz are now hoping to raise £1million, which will allow the charity to host the platform, provide training for 500 clubs and mental health leads, and roll out the Onebright clinical support service at 100 clubs.
Rob Shotton (pictured), Rob, his father Mark and Dave Nicoll, co-founded LooseHeadz at the end of a rugby clubhouse bar in 2017
Speaking at the launch, LooseHeadz’s co-founder Rob Shotton, said: “This is an incredibly exciting extension of our support for rugby clubs around the world. Not only will it enhance our focus on prevention around mental health, giving our mental health leads extra training & support, but it also ensures that we have a robust solution to support those who may slip through the cracks.
“Seven and a half years ago, we were watching the Lions Tour of New Zealand on TV when the idea for LooseHeadz was born. Now, we’re an official charity partner of the British & Irish Lions, and the journey has come full circle.”
Craig Doyle, hosting the event, said: “The brilliance of LooseHeadz and their new plan is that it’s so simple. With the fresh support of Capgemini and Onebright, they have some brilliant experts involved in the new 3-step plan and they’re on a good path. To be where they are now, having started as a conversation at the end of a rugby club bar is a huge credit to the founders, Rob, Dave and Mark, who should be very proud of themselves.”
The LooseHeadz journey started with a simple yet powerful question: What do we do when a mate struggles, and you don’t know how to help? This conversation sparked the creation of LooseHeadz, rugby’s mental health charity. Today, LooseHeadz has expanded its reach to over 1,250 rugby clubs across 28 countries, changing lives and in some cases, saving lives.
With 1 in 4 people in the UK experiencing mental health challenges each year and suicide being the leading cause of death for men under 50 and people under 35, LooseHeadz is determined to ‘tackle the stigma’ around mental health. The charity aims to create a world where it’s ok not to be ok.
For more information, including ways to help fundraise, please visit: https://looseheadz.co.uk/pages/about-us
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