Honorary doctorate and England cap for former Wigan Athletic goalkeeper

Former Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has been awarded an honorary doctorate for his mental health work.

Transcript

00:00So was your struggles then, being a driver and becoming part of Make 20 Goal?

00:05You know, trying to help. I got the help I needed it when I needed it the most and still do to this day.

00:10So that's what it's about now for me, trying to give back as much as possible.

00:14Seeing the struggles as well that Lucy, our daughter, went through as you do when you're a parent.

00:19They go through different stages with anxiety and obviously pressures at school with exams and stuff like that.

00:25So seeing that as well, it was certainly something I wanted to get involved with.

00:28We all know that particularly, you know, the stigma around lads and men not talking.

00:33And it's literally just about getting them to open up and talk.

00:36You know, one of the lads on the first day, I think he admitted that he'd thought about ending his life and stuff like that.

00:41And he'd never spoke about it before. And that was on the first day.

00:44So we did stuff with him. We did, you know, the school brought people in to do different arts and crafts.

00:50And obviously I brought a coach in to do football with him.

00:52I was talking with him on walks, which is something I've always done when I don't feel great.

00:57So it's just about letting them know that there is help there.

01:00And there is certain coping strategies that they can do, find something that they enjoy doing.

01:05But just being, knowing that they can talk and knowing that they can ask for help when they need it is the biggest thing.

01:10How do you feel about getting an honorary doctorate from Edge Hill?

01:16Listen, I always, I don't feel as though I deserve it, I must admit.

01:20I mean, there's people that do far, far more amazing work than I've ever done.

01:27So what I will do is when I receive this award, this will be for the people that won't get one of these

01:32or won't get the recognition that they deserve and probably never ever will do.

01:37So, you know, I'll receive this award and I'm honoured to receive it.

01:40But it will be for everybody else as well that does amazing work that won't get the recognition they deserve.

01:46You've got to recognise the good that you do.

01:49Yeah, I try to. Listen, I've never done it for that. I've never done it for praise.

01:53I've never done it to get awards or anything like that.

01:55I know that comes with it sometimes, but that's not what you set out to do when you do things like this.

01:59You don't think, oh, well, hopefully down the line I'll get an award.

02:02That's never, never, yeah, never, never been in my thought.

02:05But I know it's part and parcel of, like I said, this will be dedicated to a lot of people that I know

02:10and a lot of people that I don't know.