Wigan Warriors team up with makeup brand to tackle male mental health stigma

Super Leauge Club Wigan Warriors are hoping to smash local mental health stigmas by proudly having a men's make up brand on their 2021 training kits.

The club hope by being vocal about the issue more local men will be encouraged to seek support if they are struggling.

Wigan has one of the highest male suicide rates anywhere in the UK.

Figures released earlier this week show that 4,902 people took their own lives in 2020 with three-quarters of those being men.

Wigan executive director Kris Radlinski said: "On the face of it, many fans would not expect a rugby league team to be partnering with a make-up brand which makes this partnership even more important as we see this as a vital opportunity to break misconceptions and to make a genuine difference to both the sport and our wider community."

"We want to use the partnership to inspire confidence amongst men, encourage wellness and raise awareness of topical mental health challenges which are just as prevalent in professional sport as they are in everyday life, particularly given the last 12 months for all of us.''

War Paint's founder Daniel Gray said: "I was inspired to create War Paint due to my own mental health struggles and I couldn't be more proud to see that our brand growth can result in working alongside Wigan Warriors to help us address the issue."

"I can't wait to unveil some of the groundbreaking initiatives we have planned to help people with mental health issues and raise awareness amongst the Rugby League community.''

Radlinksi added: After hearing Danny's inspirational story and what he is seeking to achieve, which is far more than just selling make-up, we realised that this partnership is a natural fit for the club.''

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