Posted on: 9 January 2024
A video filmed by Leeds Rhinos players Jack Sinfield and Louis Roberts backing the Partnership’s Check In With Your Mate campaign has attracted over 18k views on Twitter (X).
The film was released by Rhinos in December as part of a West Yorkshire-wide promotion of the suicide prevention campaign in the run-up to Christmas – a time of year which can feel overwhelming for some.
In the film (watch below), the players, pictured right, have a conversation checking in with each other and encourage others to do the same.
The video was uploaded onto the Rhinos website – which also directed people to support at www.checkinwithyourmate.co.uk – and was also featured in a news story on the Yorkshire Evening Post website.
Leeds Rhinos was one of several major sports clubs who promoted the campaign over the festive season – with multiple social media posts also from Keighley Cougars, Bradford City AFC and Bradford Bulls.
One poignant post on X showing two Bradford City AFC players hugging, and urging people not to be alone and pointing to the support available at the www.suicidepreventionwestyorkshire.co.uk website, attracted 19k views.
Keighley Cougars also dedicated their Boxing Day match against Oldham to the campaign, pictured below, with the players warming up in Check In With Your Mate-branded T-shirts, flyers distributed to the 2,000+ fans and the campaign’s messages announced on the stadium’s tannoy system during the match.
All of the sports’ clubs support was also covered by various media outlets, including The Yorkshire Post as well as the Yorkshire Evening Post, the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, Keighley News and on BBC Radio.
The suicide prevention website’s support page saw the number of visitors almost double in December, compared to the previous month, as the promotion highlighted the website and West Yorkshire-wide services listed on there for anyone who may be struggling.
Watch the Rhinos film: