'Hope shines through time and time again': Football club thriving after launch from tragedy
A football club launched following the tragic death of a Wigan Borough man is still going strong nine years after its formation, helping to reach hundreds of men and raising thousands of pounds along the way.
After Peter Hill’s best friend died by suicide in 2014, and two more friends took their own lives in the following two years, the dad-of-two organised an incredible ‘Pedal 2 Paris’ in 2017, cycling from the Brick Community Stadium all the way to the French capital.
Undertaken in honour of Peter’s friend Anthony, who had previously spoken of his desire to attempt the international trek, the charity bike ride also blossomed into Place2Place; a five-a-side football team where men can be open about their mental health and try to improve their wellbeing through sport.
Peter, from Beech Hill, said: “Place2Place was set up originally for fellas facing challenging circumstances, and came after I lost my best friend to suicide. I didn’t know what to do at the time, I was 30 years old and the only person I would have talked to about it was my friend who passed away.
“But I wanted to throw my energy into something, and we saw how the bike ride brought people together and had similarities with mental health challenges; if you break things down step by step and surround yourself with good people, things can improve.
“After the cycle, we knew that we wanted to open this up to more people, which is what led to the football group being created.”
While Place2Place has developed into various iterations over the years, the group now focuses on a competitive five-a-side group on Monday evenings and an inclusive social group at the Wigan Council-run facility at Laithwaite Park on Wednesday evenings.
With a half hour informal chat kicking off the Wednesday sessions, conversations and support come naturally at Place2Place, with the project reaching hundreds of men over the past nine years, from those struggling with grief and mental health challenges, to those who have endured serious injuries or life-changing experiences.
Lee Chapman, one of those who has benefitted from the sessions after a serious back injury, said: “At Place2Place, none of the lads are judgemental. It’s just a good place where you can have a bit of exercise and people are really supportive.
“As a group of lads, you can’t ask for much more. It brightens your day knowing that there’s a group that will have you regardless of what you’ve been through. Coming here just lightens the mood and makes you want to get up in the morning again.”
Aware of the stigma that frequently surrounds men’s mental health, Wigan Council has supported Place2Place through its Manbassador programme and men’s health forum, aiming to raise awareness of the issues facing men and highlight what services and support are out there.
The local authority has also provided funding to Place2Place, highlighted training courses, and donated through the Manbassador programme to help fund the group’s ‘Stadium Day’ at The Brick Community Stadium on Sunday 10th May.
Adding to the thousands of pounds already raised for mental health charities over the years, the football game raised almost £1,000 for the young suicide prevention charity Papyrus, while exemplifying the power of Place2Place: bringing people together from a range of backgrounds and experiences to improve wellbeing and the lives of others.
However, as Peter emphasises, Place2Place isn’t designed to be clinical or focus too much on finding solutions to difficult problems. A lot of the players, for example, return to the sessions week-in and week-out to improve their wellbeing, reduce stress, or find their love of sport again.
“It’s not about us having the solution, but about people feeling empowered to look after their own mental health through football”, Peter, 41, added.
“The football sessions can be a conversation starter or something more than that, but I do think they have become a really good analogy for having people in your corner.
“If someone is struggling, people always come forward with a solution and that hope shines through time and time again. People just want to help, and I am proud of that here, and I think my friend would have been proud of it too.”
For his incredible efforts to support men’s mental health and the community across Wigan Borough, Peter was crowned the north west’s Unsung Hero at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in 2019 and received a Prime Minister’s Point of Light award two years later.
What Peter is most proud about, however, is the strong community that has been fostered at Place2Place, with members regularly offering support to one another, delivering vital training sessions, and taking up leadership roles to make the club more sustainable, such as Club Secretary Connor Heeley and Vice Chairman David Steele.
Moving forward, Place2Place aims to continue reaching out to more men across the borough, with further plans to establish a wellbeing hub and expand with rugby groups, women’s teams, and parent and child-orientated sessions.
James Winterbottom, Director of Strategy and Innovation, added: "The work that Place2Place have been doing in our borough is nothing short of inspiring.
“To have created such a strong community after such tragedy is incredible, and I know these weekly sessions have had a significant impact on many of the men that have taken part over the years.
“The sessions have also had a wider impact by getting people to open up about mental health, highlight what support is out there, and generally improve wellbeing. We are proud of the work that the group has been doing and that they are a part of the council’s Manbassador programme.”
Posted on Tuesday 12th May 2026