Forest Green Rovers is bringing back its Football on Prescription scheme for the 2026/27 season after a pilot saw more than 30 people referred to attend matches as part of mental-health support.
The initiative offers live football through social prescribing to people experiencing low mood, loneliness, social isolation or other mental-health challenges. Patients who discuss their mental health with a doctor at one of the participating GP surgeries in and around Stroud may be eligible for a referral.
Once referred through their surgery, participants can attend a Forest Green Rovers match as part of their social-prescribing support. The scheme is operating in the same way as it did during last season’s pilot.
How the Forest Green scheme works
Football on Prescription was developed by FGR chairman Dale Vince and Dr Simon Opher MP, who worked with more than a dozen GP surgeries across the Stroud area.
The organisers say the scheme is based on the idea that attending a match can provide more than the chance to watch football. Being part of a crowd, sharing an experience and feeling connected to a local community can support wellbeing and complement more traditional approaches to mental-health support.
The pilot was initially aimed primarily at men, but women also took part. Feedback from participants indicated improvements in mood and wellbeing, while a number of those who attended said they would like to return for another match.
The initiative is believed to have been the first of its kind in the UK, and potentially the world.
Participants describe the impact
Feedback gathered during the pilot focused on the atmosphere at matches, the chance to meet other supporters and the feeling of belonging within the FGR community.
“The atmosphere was fantastic. Chatting to the people sat next to us was lovely. The game was exciting with a last-minute goal making FGR the winners — it was crazy!”
Another female participant described the value of being part of a shared occasion:
“Having the chance to be connected and hearing the cheers. Having a real goal and achieving something is so enjoyable.”
For one male attendee, the match offered time with a family member and a brief break from difficult circumstances after the loss of his wife:
“It was a fine sunny afternoon. Over the years I’ve always enjoyed attending football matches. I was with one of my grandsons, who’s an avid football fan and loves attending games. He’s great company and, with the recent loss of my wife, it was a perfect opportunity to be out and about and, albeit for 90+ minutes, a chance — although not forgetting the circumstances as to why we were there — to take my mind and thoughts elsewhere, albeit briefly.”
Another participant said the experience provided a sense of acceptance and support:
“Being part of a happy crowd of supporters who didn’t know how depressed I had been. Also the kindness of staff and volunteers and the camaraderie of the crowd. And we won!”
What the organisers say
Dr Simon Opher, who has worked as a GP for 30 years, said the positive feedback had given him confidence that lessons from the pilot could be carried into the new season.
“As a GP for thirty years, I have witnessed first-hand the impact that effective social prescribing can have on improving mental health and overall wellbeing. “I’m really pleased that participant testimonials from last season were so positive, and I’m confident we can take the learning from the pilot forward into this new season and continue to deliver meaningful outcomes for participants.”
Dale Vince said football could bring people together, create a sense of belonging and provide shared purpose, while also offering people somewhere to go and others to be around.
“Football is a positive and considerable social force. It brings people together, creates a sense of belonging, gives us shared endeavour – and it’s fun. At FGR last season, we saw the difference that this shared experience game can make for people struggling with their mental health. “No surprise then that it’s back this season. Sometimes in our lives all of us need some simple human interaction, some connection, community and simply having somewhere to go and people to be around. Football fits that bill perfectly.”
People in and around Stroud who are interested in taking part should discuss their mental health with a doctor at a participating GP surgery. Eligibility and referrals are handled through those surgeries.
