Cardiff visit from Prince William to see sport mental health hub

Prince William to visit sport mental health hub

1 hour ago

Rowenna HoskinBBC News

Prince William will visit a new mental health hub on Wednesday which is being set up in Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

The Jac Lewis Foundation, created in memory of the former Swansea City academy player who took his own life in 2019, has partnered with the Welsh Rugby Union and The Royal Foundation to provide counselling and transport costs to those in need.

More than 7,000 people die by suicide each year in the UK, with 19 lives lost every day.

The hub will provide support to hundreds of people who may be at risk of suicide, operating as a safe and supportive place where people can drop in to access professional wellbeing and mental health services.

During Prince William's visit, which coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day, he will meet with some of Jac's family and friends, including his father Jesse and teammates from Jac's football team, Ammanford FC, in Carmarthenshire.

Then the Prince will talk to the Welsh Rugby Union and Swansea FC about the role of sport within communities and how they can use their platform to influence better mental health amongst players and fans.

The Jac Lewis Foundation is a charity based in Ammanford, in Carmarthenshire, which was set up to provide access to mental health and wellbeing support in communities across Wales and was founded in memory of Jac.

The organisation aims to ensure that everyone, no matter their age, can access rapid support for mental health and offers other services to help with practical issues relating to housing, finance, training and legal matters.

The new hub in the Principality Stadium is based on the organisation's existing services which operate at Ammanford FC and Swansea City Football Club.

The Royal Foundation's partnership will enable the hub in Cardiff to operate for one day per week over three years.

Who was Jac Lewis?

Jac started playing football at the age of five and went on to join Swansea City's academy, eventually being released aged 14. He joined Llanelli for a while before returning to hometown club Ammanford.

"His passion was always football, he always wanted to play at the highest level," his father Jesse previously said.

"I made him have a trade (he was a carpenter) and it kept him in money, it gave him a reason to get up in the morning and go to work.

"But I just think he felt a little bit of a failure because he didn't achieve what he wanted to in football."

Jesse said there were other factors at play, and his son gave up regular football near the end of his life and began taking drugs.

Jac never knew that his death would lead to many lives being saved.

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