The Big Bench2Bench Walk Celebration Lunch with Joe Ledley

Celebrating the challenge attempt and supporting the mission. Helping save lives.

Friday 2nd October 2026

Heaney's Restaurant, Pontcanna, Cardiff

12:30pm Arrival | 1:00pm Lunch | Formal event concludes at 5:00pm

Followed by drinks on the terrace.

Community sports clubs don't just build better players. They help build healthier people.

This October, join Speakeasy Club for a special celebration lunch marking the completion of our Big Bench2Bench Walk—an ambitious 260+ mile journey across Wales, walking from Holyhead Hotspur AFC on Anglesey to Sully Sports FC, visiting 25 community sports clubs in just seven days.

The walk is about much more than the miles.

It's about celebrating the volunteers, teammates, coaches and clubs that quietly change lives every single day.

Because for many men, a sports club is more than somewhere to play.

• It's somewhere to belong.
• Somewhere people know your name.
• Somewhere someone notices when you don't turn up.
• Somewhere where being part of something matters

Why are we walking?

Suicide remains one of the biggest causes of premature death among men in the UK.

According to the Office for National Statistics, around three in every four people who die by suicide are men. In 2023, there were 6,069 suicides registered in England and Wales, with 4,506 (74.2%) being male—the highest male suicide rate recorded since 1999.

Behind every statistic is a son.

• A dad.
• A brother.
• A husband.
• A teammate.
• A schoolmate
• A mate.

At Speakeasy Club, we believe community sport has an incredible opportunity to reduce the likelihood of men reaching crisis by creating places where people feel connected, supported and confident enough to share the load.

Every pound raised through the auction and raffle on the day helps us continue providing free mental health resources, education and support to community sports clubs, helping people find connection long before they need crisis support.

Our vision is simple:

A world where everyone has the emotional confidence to look after themselves, their mates and their families—using the power of sport to make it happen.

Our Mission: 

To place free, accessible mental health and wellbeing resources into every community sports club in the world, empowering people to support themselves and others before they reach crisis.

Your Afternoon:

🍽 Two welcome drinks and an exceptional two-course lunch dining experience created by Great British Menu chef Tommy Heaney and his team.

👨‍🍳 Here from Tommy himself on his journey to date, hear about his inspiration for cooking and how important he feels it is to bring people together through food.

⚽ An exclusive conversation with Joe Ledley - Celebrate 10 years since Wales' unforgettable Euro 2016 campaign as Joe shares stories from one of the greatest chapters in Welsh sporting history.

🚶 Celebrate the Big Bench2Bench Walk - Hear the stories behind the miles, the clubs, the people and the moments that made this incredible challenge possible.

🎁 Charity auction and fundraising - Bid on exclusive experiences and memorabilia while helping us continue supporting community sports clubs across Wales.

🍷 Drinks on the terrace

Round off the afternoon with great company, conversation and celebration.

Help us reach our £25,000 target!

Funds raised from this event will help Speakeasy Club continue:

• Providing free mental health resources to community sports clubs.
• Delivering workshops that build emotional confidence.
• Supporting volunteers, coaches and players.
• Creating environments where people feel connected, noticed and supported before they reach crisis.

Together, we're helping communities become stronger, more connected and better equipped to look after one another.

Tickets:

Individual Ticket — £120 per person

Your ticket includes:

✔ Two welcome drinks

✔ Two-course lunch by Tommy Heaney & the team

✔ Exclusive conversation with Joe Ledley

✔ Charity auction and fundraising activities

✔ Drinks on the terrace after the event

Event Partnership: 

Headline Event Partner — £2,500

We're looking for one organisation to become the headline partner of this special afternoon.

As our Event Partner, you'll receive:

• 4 priority seating tickets to the event 
• Business branding before, during and after the event.
• Recognition across Speakeasy Club's website, social media and marketing.
• Brand visibility throughout the Big Bench2Bench Walk Challenge
• A Speakeasy bench at a community club of your choice, including QR code (Doesn't have to be a club on the challenge route)
• Opportunities to network and present to guests on the day.
• Association with a movement using the power of sport to build emotionally confident communities and reduce the likelihood of male suicide.
• Most importantly, your support will help more community sports clubs provide safe spaces where people feel they belong, know they're valued and are encouraged to talk before they reach crisis.

Join us

This isn't simply a celebration of an incredible walk.

It's a celebration of every clubhouse that opens its doors.

Every volunteer who gives up their time.

Every teammate who checks in.

Every conversation that reminds someone they're not alone.

Because sport is about far more than what happens on the pitch.

It's about the people beside us.

Together, we can celebrate an incredible challenge, strengthen our communities and help save lives.

Join us. Celebrate with us. Help us look after the boys.

References

Office for National Statistics (2024). Suicides in England and Wales: 2023 registrations. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2023

Samaritans. Latest suicide data and statistics for the UK and Republic of Ireland. Available at: https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/research-policy/suicide-facts-and-figures/latest-suicide-data/