West Ham United Foundation have put mental health back at the centre of the club’s community calendar by highlighting the latest R;pple Suicide Prevention football tournament.
West Ham’s official site confirmed that the Foundation will host the R;pple Suicide Prevention Football Tournament at The Foundry on World Suicide Prevention Day, Thursday 10 September.
The initiative is linked to R;pple, the digital crisis-intervention charity created by lifelong Hammers supporter Alice Hendy MBE in memory of her brother Josh.
The R;pple event page frames the tournament as a way to use football for wider conversations around suicide prevention, wellbeing and community support.
Foundation Work Carries Wider West Ham Meaning
For West Ham, this matters beyond the pitch.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are trying to rebuild after relegation, while the club have also leaned into supporter-facing identity work. ReadWestHam has already covered how the new New Balance home kit launch formed part of a wider reset message.
This Foundation project offers a different kind of signal. It is not about recruitment, kit launches or boardroom plans. It is about trust, local reach and visible social purpose.
The previous tournament brought together more than 170 participants and raised more than £30,000, according to West Ham’s own report. R;pple also noted that Allica Bank won the men’s cup and Fieldfisher lifted the women’s cup.
Carlton Cole, now a Foundation ambassador, was among the West Ham figures supporting the cause.
For the club, the value is clear. The Foundation reaches communities across east London and Essex, and this partnership gives West Ham a credible platform in an area where football’s voice can still cut through.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised, Samaritans can be contacted in the UK and Ireland on 116 123.
