CoppaFeel! Sign-postage at The Memorial Stadium for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bristol Rovers Community Trust (BRCT) distributed information and signposting throughout the Memorial Stadium ahead of yesterday’s home fixture against Salford City, helping to raise awareness of breast cancer and highlight the importance of accessible health information.
Football has a unique ability to bring people together, regardless of age, gender or background. As the charitable arm of Bristol Rovers, the Trust continues to use the power of football to create safe and welcoming spaces where people can connect, talk and access support around their mental health. With information displayed across the stands and hospitality boxes, the initiative aimed to challenge the misconception that breast cancer is only something women need to think about. Although breast cancer is much more common in women, it can also affect men, making awareness, understanding and access to reliable information important for all.
Breast cancer can affect anyone, and everyone deserves access to support and information.
In the UK, around one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Each year, approximately 55,500 women and 400 men are diagnosed with the condition. Factors that can influence breast cancer risk include age, family history and certain lifestyle factors, including obesity and smoking.
By sharing accessible information throughout the stadium, BRCT wanted to encourage supporters to be aware of breast cancer, understand where to find further guidance and recognise that conversations about health should be inclusive of everyone.
Supporting CoppaFeel!’s Mission
The signposting supported the work of CoppaFeel!, the breast cancer awareness charity dedicated to encouraging people to get to know their chests, check regularly and seek medical advice if they notice anything unusual.
CoppaFeel! works to improve awareness and encourage people to take an active role in their breast health. Its approach recognises that breast cancer can affect people of different genders and backgrounds, and that everyone should feel welcome accessing information and support.
This inclusive approach is important when raising awareness in community settings. Using language that welcomes everyone and recognising that individuals may describe themselves in different ways helps ensure health information reaches as many people as possible.
By making CoppaFeel!’s resources visible around the Memorial Stadium, BRCT helped bring this important message to supporters attending the fixture, providing an opportunity for people to engage with information they might not otherwise encounter during their matchday experience.
Why Health Signposting Matters on Matchdays
At Bristol Rovers Community Trust, we recognise that the Memorial Stadium is more than a football ground. On matchdays, it becomes a gathering place for supporters, families and people from across the local community, creating valuable opportunities to share information, raise awareness and connect people with services that can support their wellbeing.
Signposting health and wellbeing resources within this familiar environment helps make important information more visible and accessible. Whether the focus is physical health, mental wellbeing or wider community support, providing clear routes to further information can help people take the next step towards finding the help they need.
For BRCT, this forms part of our wider commitment to enhancing and uplifting lives across Bristol through our four quarters: Education, Sports, Health and Inclusion. Raising awareness of health issues and connecting people with trusted organisations supports our ambition to empower individuals, improve access to opportunities and positively influence life choices.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month provided an important opportunity to reinforce that message. By sharing resources throughout the Memorial Stadium, BRCT helped ensure that breast cancer awareness was part of the matchday conversation, reminding supporters that health information should be accessible, inclusive and available to all.
JANE DOE Coppafeel! CEO, reflected on the experience:
“Football gives us a fantastic opportunity to reach people and start conversations that might otherwise feel difficult to have. Mental health affects all of us in different ways, and sometimes simply having someone to talk to can be the first step towards feeling better. The support we’ve received from Bristol Rovers and our supporters has been fantastic, and this fixture was a great way to shine a light on the work taking place across our community.”
Small Actions Can Make a Difference -
A signposted resource may be the starting point for someone to learn something new, feel more confident about checking their body or find out where to seek further advice. While a poster or information display may seem like a small action, making trusted information visible in community spaces can help people recognise the importance of their health and understand the support available to them.
Bristol Rovers Community Trust will continue to use the reach of the Memorial Stadium and its wider community programmes to highlight important health messages, promote inclusion and connect people with resources that can make a meaningful difference.
Because building a healthier, more informed community starts with making sure everyone has the opportunity to access the right information.
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