14/07/2026
Thank you England Hockey 🧡
🚨Club Spotlight 🚨
Talk Stick was established following the tragic loss of a young member of the hockey family to su***de at Spalding Hockey Club. Through awareness, education, conversation and action, Talk Stick aims to reduce stigma surrounding mental health, encourage people to seek support when needed, and create environments where everyone feels able to talk.
Working in partnership with hockey clubs across the country, Talk Stick is aiming to build a network of clubs committed to improving mental wellbeing, promoting su***de prevention awareness, and supporting their members both on and off the pitch.
Talk Stick has recently started a collaboration with oddballs.
OddBalls have designed and made bespoke OddBalls x Talk Stick products. Not only will this be an amazing way for us to raise funds for Talk Stick but also to create much needed awareness and continuing to spread the word on "breaking the silence" for mental health.
What started as a simple conversation has grown into a movement that is helping teams become stronger communities, where silence is replaced with support and men feel able to speak openly about how they are feeling. In our first year alone, we have delivered seven mental health awareness sessions to hockey clubs across Lincolnshire, brought clubs and communities together, started life-saving conversations, and raised more than £5,000 through our crowdfunding campaign to support our work. Every session, conversation, donation and act of support has helped us create a culture where checking in with a teammate is seen as a strength, not a weakness. While we are incredibly proud of what has been achieved in our first year, we know this is only the beginning.
Our mission remains the same: to continue raising awareness, educating clubs, supporting players, and ensuring that no one feels they have to struggle alone. We believe that one conversation can change – and even save – a life, which is why we encourage everyone to simply check in with a mate, because it could be the most valuable thing you ever do.
After a successful first year, Talk Sticks plan for breaking the silence and raising the awareness of men's mental health with the hockey families.
- Extending the project beyond just Lincolnshire
- More charity hockey matches
- Teaming up with a number of collaborative organisations to bring you more official Talk Stick merchandise.
- Establishing a club partnership model with each club having a Talk Stick ambassador
- Monies raised used to fund the delivery of mental health first aid sessions and to train mental health first aiders to partnering clubs
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