A new partnership between Northamptonshire-based wellbeing organisation huddleUp and Northamptonshire FA is set to take mental health and wellbeing support deeper into grassroots football across the county.
OnSide, powered by huddleUp, has been appointed as Northamptonshire FA’s Official Wellbeing Partner, giving clubs the opportunity to access confidential, human-led wellbeing support for the people who make grassroots football happen.
The partnership has the potential to reach a huge community. Northamptonshire FA currently administers football for more than 29,000 players, 1,737 teams and 292 clubs, as well as 608 referees and an army of volunteers across the county.
Through OnSide, huddleUp will work alongside Northamptonshire FA and its clubs to create environments where people feel more comfortable having honest conversations about how they are really doing. Unlike traditional wellbeing platforms, OnSide focuses on confidential support from real people, without relying on apps or bots, helping individuals to talk through what they are experiencing and access the right support for them.
Support will be available for coaches, volunteers and committee members, with tailored support also being developed for children and young people involved in the game.
Conner Botterill, CEO and co-founder of huddleUp, said: “Grassroots football is about so much more than what happens during 90 minutes at the weekend.
“Across Northamptonshire, there are thousands of coaches, volunteers, committee members, parents, players and supporters who give an enormous amount of their time and energy to their clubs and communities. They’re often juggling that commitment with work, family and everything else life can throw at them. We want to make sure those people know that if things become difficult, there is somewhere genuinely human they can turn.
“This partnership gives us an incredible opportunity to work alongside Northants FA to make wellbeing part of the conversation throughout grassroots football in the county, from young children, right through to elderly volunteers.
“As Northamptonshire lads ourselves, this one means a lot to us,” added Adam Franklin, co-founder and Sales and Marketing Director at huddleUp.
“Football has an amazing ability to bring people together and, by working with Northants FA, we hope we can use that sense of community to make a real difference to people’s lives.”
The partnership forms part of Northamptonshire FA’s wider commitment to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of everyone connected with football in the county, from grassroots players to officials, volunteers and staff.
Luke Scott, Acting CEO of Northamptonshire FA, said: “We’re really pleased to launch OnSide, powered by huddleUp. Football in this county is built by our people, and we have a responsibility to look after their wellbeing.”
Northamptonshire FA clubs, leagues and members interested in finding out more about the support available through the partnership can contact info@northantsfa.com.
For more information about huddleUp, visit https://huddle-up.co.uk.
