Bristol Rovers Community Trust marks Mental Health Fixture with a focus on encouraging conversations!

Image: Bristol Rovers Community Trust Dedicated Mental Health Fixture, 05/09/26.

Bristol Rovers Community Trust’s designated Mental Health Fixture for the 2025/26 season provided an opportunity to put conversations about mental health firmly in the spotlight.

With Bristol Rovers hosting Rotherham United, the fixture was centred around one simple message: talking matters.

Football has a unique ability to bring people together, regardless of age, gender or background. As the charitable arm of Bristol Rovers, the Trust continues to use the power of football to create safe and welcoming spaces where people can connect, talk and access support around their mental health.

Working closely with Bristol Rovers FC, we used Saturdays fixture to showcase two of our key mental health programmes: Rebound with Rovers and Bristol Rovers Talk Club.

Supporters were informed to the programmes through matchday activity, with details shared across the stadium screens during the pre-match build-up and at half-time. Matchday staff were also on hand throughout the fixture, wearing Talk Club badges with additional printed materials available around the stadium to support.

Before kick-off, the Trust’s Mental Health Lead, Costa Chard, also spoke to supporters about some of the successes of the Rebound with Rovers programme and the positive impact it is having on our participants.

Speaking after the moment, Costa Chard reflected on the experience:

“Football gives us a fantastic opportunity to reach people and start conversations that might otherwise feel difficult to have. Mental health affects all of us in different ways, and sometimes simply having someone to talk to can be the first step towards feeling better. The support we’ve received from Bristol Rovers and our supporters has been fantastic, and this fixture was a great way to shine a light on the work taking place across our community.”

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A huge thank you goes to everyone at Bristol Rovers FC for helping make the fixture possible, and to the supporters whose continued backing helps the Trust deliver these important programmes across the local community.

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with their mental health, you don’t have to face it alone. Find out more about Rebound with Rovers and Bristol Rovers Talk Club, and discover how you can get involved.

#BristolRovers #Bristol #UTG #TalkClub #ReboundwithRovers #MentalHealth