They were joined on Tuesday by former England international Andy Sinton, who attended in his role as club ambassador for Queens Park Rangers. Sinton, who also played for Tottenham Hotspur, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolverhampton Wanderers during a distinguished playing career, took the children through the ‘Understanding Others’ activity from the pack, which encouraged classmates to put themselves in each other’s shoes and think about how they might feel in different situations.

Speaking at the event, Sinton said:

“During my playing career, the relationships I had with my team-mates were a key part of being successful, both as an individual and as a team. It was fantastic to spend some time with the pupils today and get them thinking about how they can look after both themselves and others.

“Loneliness is something that can affect people of all ages and it’s not always something that’s easily recognised. Football has a unique ability to bring people together from all walks of life and it was brilliant to see the kids enjoying working through the activities together and I’m sure the pack will help thousands of young people across the country.”

The British Red Cross created the activity pack, launched this week to coincide with Loneliness Awareness Week, to help children and young people combat loneliness by focusing on kindness and togetherness.

The pack is free for schools to access, and contains five activities which encourage young people to think about how they can look after themselves and others.

Olivia Field, British Red Cross Head of Policy, said:

“Loneliness can seriously affect people’s health and wellbeing, and recent research has shown that young people can be especially susceptible. That’s why it’s particularly important for us to reach young audiences and let them know how to recognise and confront the experience in themselves or others.

“Feeling lonely can be a really difficult thing to talk about, but we want young people to know that they can reach out for help.

“It’s great to have Andy’s support to deliver this important message. His experience throughout his career means he knows how valuable it can be to feel part of a team. We’re really grateful that he’s taken the time to meet the pupils at Ark Priory and join them to take part in our Let’s Club Together activities.”

EFL and British Red Cross launch school initiative for Loneliness Awareness Week

EFL and British Red Cross launch school initiative for Loneliness Awareness Week