Oxford United in the Community Supports Joey Beauchamp Foundation

Grassroots Football Comes Together to Launch Mental Health Awareness Pilot in Oxfordshire.

A new grassroots football initiative aimed at improving mental health awareness within football will launch in Oxfordshire this April, bringing together clubs, community organisations and governing bodies.

The pilot session, hosted at Kidlington FC on Thursday 16 April 2026, is being delivered by The Joey Beauchamp Foundation in partnership with Oxford United in the Community, with support from Oxfordshire FA.

It also marks a further collaboration between three grassroots clubs in the area, Kidlington Youth, Kidlington FC and Garden City. The workshop forms part of a wider programme designed to support grassroots coaches and volunteers working with children and adults to better understand mental health, recognise early signs of distress, and respond safely using trusted organisations and the established FA safeguarding frameworks.

The pilot is supported by the Joey Beauchamp Legacy Fund, established by The Joey Beauchamp Foundation to deliver long-term, sustainable impact in mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

The Fund is designed to act as a catalyst for community-based initiatives, enabling collaboration across football and wider sectors, while supporting early intervention and education in trusted environments such as grassroots clubs. It aligns with Joey’s own journey through local football and beyond to signpost the options available at each stage of the mental health pathway, which is something integral to our commitment to his memory. This pilot represents one of the first practical applications of the Legacy Fund, helping to explore how mental health awareness can be embedded sustainably within grassroots football settings.

For more information about the Joey Beauchamp Foundation and how to get involved, please visit www.joeybeauchamp.org or contact [email protected].

Matt Everett, of Oxford United in the Community, said: “At Oxford United in the Community, our focus is on using the power of football to positively impact lives across Oxfordshire, particularly for young people and those who may be vulnerable. This pilot reflects exactly what community football can achieve — creating a network of safe, supportive environments at clubs where conversations around mental health are encouraged and understood.

“We are proud to be working in partnership with the Joey Beauchamp Foundation and Oxfordshire FA to deliver this initiative, and to see the jointly raised funds through the Joey Beauchamp Legacy Fund being used to support meaningful, preventative work at grassroots level within our county. It is a powerful example of how collaboration across the football community can help reach as many people as possible beyond the pitch and make a lasting difference.”

Oxford United in the Community has provided over £1000 to the Joey Beauchamp Legacy Fund courtesy of the money raised from our Friends of the Community initiative. To become a Friend of the Community and support our work across Oxfordshire, please click HERE.