Kindred Group announced Thursday it has renewed its investment in a program of Rangers Charity Foundation, backed by Rangers Football Club in Glasgow, Scotland. “Team Talk” program aims to support men’s mental wellbeing, through building resilience, improving social circles, enhancing confidence, increasing physical activity and helping adult men to feel more supported.
Team Talk has already helped men across Glasgow to seek help and advice on mental health issues thanks to initial funding received from Kindred in 2021. Alongside this renewal, the Unibet owner has also announced a donation of its front-of-shirt sponsorship to the “Team Talk” project logo, which was worn on the Europa League semi-final at RB Leipzig on Thursday, April 28.
Talking can save lives! 🗣️ Kindred continues supporting @RangersFC & #TeamTalk. @n_banbury says: “We hope to reach hundreds more men who would otherwise suffer in silence, with expanded mental health support services.” Read more: https://t.co/UwwVMCUoT5@RFC_Charity #mentalhealth pic.twitter.com/6B57J6EQiy
— Kindred Group (@KindredGroup) April 28, 2022
In an official press release, Neil Banbury, General Manager UK for Kindred Group, spoke about this investment and said: “The investment we are announcing today means Rangers Charity Foundation can continue the fantastic progress it made during the first year of the project.”
“Using the unique relationship supporters have with their local club, we hope to reach hundreds more men with the expanded mental health support services who would otherwise be suffering in silence,” Banbury further commented.
Connal Cochrane, Director at the Rangers Foundation, added: “The investment from Kindred Group has already been fantastic for our Team Talk project. It is the first time one of the Club’s main sponsors has made such a significant and targeted investment in the local community.”
💙 #RangersFC are delighted to deepen our partnership with the @KindredGroup as the club’s longstanding principal partner offers a great gesture to @RFC_Charity ahead of tonight’s #UEL semi-final.
All the info 👇
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) April 28, 2022
“We know talking can save lives and we can now extend the programme for another year, building on the success it had last year. This will allow existing and new participants to attend our weekly programme which has already had tangible benefit for their mental health and wellbeing and allowed the group to start forming connections with each other as well as be supported by our staff in a safe space,” concluded Cochrane.
“Team Talk”, which uses the local club as a mechanism to engage people about their mental health, has described Kindred’s investment as “the core part of its ongoing commitment to become a sponsor of choice for football clubs and their communities and reinvent football sponsorship so that it benefits the whole community”.
Kindred also sponsors Middlesbrough FC and Derby County and invests in Team Talk schemes at each club – with both recently winning Community Club of the Year in their respective regional EFL Awards.