‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’: A Qualitative Sequential Multimethod Study of Football-Based Bereavement Support for Men Who Have Experienced Baby Loss, has been co-authored by colleagues from Edge Hill University, LFC Foundation, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and 4Louis.
The paper recognises how targeted football-based bereavement support provides the opportunity for men to access a safe and welcoming space to share their grief. The project was designed with three men who have experienced baby loss.
Professor in Child Health Literacy at Edge Hill University, Lucy Bray, said: “It has been such a privilege to work with colleagues from Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Liverpool Football Club Foundation and 4Louis to carry out this project. The men’s stories of grief and the healing experienced from joining Honeysuckle FC are so powerful and demonstrate the importance of this football-based support”
Honeysuckle FC is a football programme specifically created to support bereaved fathers and men who have experienced baby loss. The project uses football to build a supportive community for men navigating grief.
Participants reported the limited targeted support available for men after baby loss, noting that the football sessions provided a safe space to talk with other men who shared a similar journey and experiences.
The football focus helped break down barriers and challenge the myths surrounding men and grief, with sessions frequently described as life-changing and life-saving.
The study used a combination of online surveys and interviews to gather in-depth insights. An online anonymous survey was distributed to all men who had attended a football session, emphasising the need to dispel myths surrounding men’s grief after baby loss and demonstrating how important football-based support can be in addressing men’s mental health.
Read ‘You’ll never walk alone..’ research paper in full.
September 16, 2026
