Let’s club together. Bringing people closer through football.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of togetherness that football brings - cheering in the stands with lifelong fans, watching from the sofa with friends, or celebrating an unforgettable goal in front of a big screen. The game unites us and we know how good it feels to be together. That’s why we’re thrilled that the British Red Cross is the EFL’s official charity partner for the next two seasons, with the aim of supporting people with loneliness. Our organisations recognise the scale of the problem, and the impact loneliness is having on people’s lives. We can club together and make a real difference.
Through this partnership, we’ll bring people together through the beautiful game – using the power of football to unite against loneliness. Over the next two seasons, the British Red Cross will work side by side with 72 EFL clubs and their communities to offer more support to those who need it most. As you will have seen, EFL players will also proudly wear yhe British Red Cross logo on the back of every shirt in the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two.
Bringing people closer
1 in 5 people in the UK are experiencing loneliness. Feeling alone can have a serious impact on your health and wellbeing – it’s compared to the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Not only can it lead to detrimental physical health conditions, such as a weakened immune system, heart disease and dementia, but it’s also linked to depression and anxiety. And in the most severe cases, loneliness can cause thoughts of self-harm and suicide. Loneliness doesn’t discriminate and it can hit people when they least expect it. Something you’ll find is it happens around life’s biggest milestones like starting university, becoming a parent, getting divorced, or retiring.
With millions of volunteers across 192 countries, the British Red Cross is part of a movement that’s there for people as soon as a crisis happens. Right now, people are facing all kinds of growing emergencies, reaching every corner of the globe, and threatening our homes and lives. Whether getting someone home safely after a hospital stay, or checking in on someone who’s lonely and isolated, their teams help people to live independently, build their confidence, and get the support they need.