Beder FC: Raising awareness of mental health and suicide prevention through football
On Saturday 3rd July, Beder FC will play FC Not Alone at the Meadowbank Football Ground in Dorking, in a match which seeks to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.
Former Hamlins Associate Razzak Mirjan founded the charity, Beder, in November 2019, following the unexpected loss of his younger brother, Beder Mirjan, who sadly took his own life at the age of 18 in April 2017.
The charity takes a unique approach to raising awareness around mental health and suicide prevention, bringing together individuals and communities through a range of education, wellness and recreational events and activities.
One of these activities is football, which Razzak explains, “provides an opportunity to break down barriers, bring people together who may not normally cross paths or just provide a sense of teamwork and camaraderie”.
Beder FC is open to all, and plays on the first Saturday of every month – its inaugural match saw the team defeat established Sunday League side, the Heroes of Waterloo, with the help of some ex-pros playing for Beder FC, including Marvin Sordell (Beder ambassador), Barry Hayles and Sean Davies (Fulham legends), with the game documented by Sky Sports.
Razzak says: “One of the key tools to normalise the conversation around mental health and suicide prevention is to continue to talk about these topics throughout the year and, most importantly, when we feel times get tough. I am so proud of what Beder has accomplished as a charity in a short space of time in terms of raising awareness and keeping the conversation going. Beder FC is a great way to bring people together to play football and then meet new people or catch up with friends afterwards.”
The team is always looking for new players (there’s no expectation to play in every game), as well as teams to compete against, so if you would like to sign up or organise a fixture, you can find out more and register your interest via the Beder FC website.
Find out more about Beder at beder.org.uk / Instagram @beder_uk / Twitter @beder_uk.