NEW Drop-In Mental Health Support Service Launches In South-West Wales

Swansea City fan Jac Lewis has inspired the launch of a new hub providing a preventative wellbeing and mental health service to the local area. The 27 year old's family set up the Jac Lewis Foundation in his memory to help others struggling with their mental health. Now the charity is teaming up with his favourite football club to create this innovative new project.

Swansea City Football Club's Head of Commercial Rebecca Edwards-Symmonds told us: "It all started two years ago. We lost a 27 year old season ticket holder called Jac Lewis. Unfortunately, it was so sad, he took his own life. His family reacted in such an amazing way by setting up a foundation in his name called the Jac Lewis Foundation. To set up a support network mainly for people in the Ammanford area to start with because that is where he was brought up. He was a player for Ammanford AFC. They set up an amazing framework where they support men and women who are suicidal and have mental health concerns.

"During Covid I was seeing just how many losses we had at the club, not only to Covid but to mental health. There were so many sad stories, especially about young men. At the time I thought, 'what can we do?' We are a football club, we have millions of followers, we have sixteen thousand supporters here on a match day, fourteen thousand season ticket holders- we need to do something. It was at that point that our ownership over in the States, I told them what I was feeling, our owners Jason and Steve Kaplan together with their ownership group, Jake Silverstein - one of the shareholders, they all said to me 'let's do something.' I met with the Jac Lewis Foundation and Jac's father Jessie and said 'look we want to actively do something, look we have this 21,000 capacity stadium - where people can get to and let's do something nobody else is doing.'

"We decided to set up this biweekly drop-in centre where we are going to have more than 10 counsellors here on hand - for people to be able to drop-in. Even if you are not a Swans supporter but you are a member of our community that feels they need help - they can come in. Even if someone just wants to come in and have a chat, have a cup of coffee and not speak to anyone - but to just be there. But we will have counsellors on hand to help these people. Try and make a difference, even if we can help one person in the name of Jac, then that will make things worthwhile."

LISTEN to interview with Swansea City Football Club's Head of Commercial Rebecca Edwards-Symmonds by clicking Twitter link below: