Eye-catching UK underwear brand OddBalls has launched two special products to raise funds for Samaritans – the charity working across the UK and Ireland to provide 24-hour emotional support for anyone struggling to cope.
The new men’s boxer shorts and women’s briefs incorporate a design that nods to the charity’s brand, and features the message ‘It’s okay not to be okay’. OddBalls will donate £1 from every sale of each product directly to Samaritans.
Founded in 2014 as part of an initiative to raise awareness about testicular cancer, OddBalls has quickly become one of the UK’s biggest underwear brands and has expanded its charitable objectives during that time. With its growing range of products and sporting partnerships, OddBalls has raised over £650,000 for charities through the sale of its products, and aims to have topped the £1m mark by 2023. Along with organisations that focus on physical health, the company also supports several mental health charities and worked closely with the team at Samaritans to design and develop the new underwear.
Samaritans provides vital emotional support to anyone who is struggling to cope. Its volunteers are there, 24/7, for anyone who needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure. By enabling human connection and providing a safe space to be heard, Samaritans encourages people to seek support early so they don’t they reach crisis point. Money raised from the sale of the OddBalls Samaritans range will help to fund the charity’s life-saving emotional support service.
OddBalls delivers much of its efforts to support good causes through The OddBalls Foundation, a standalone charity that was set up in 2015. The foundation has a network of 50 university ambassadors, who engage with communities around the country, to encourage open conversations about physical and mental health.
Will Cooper, of OddBalls, said: “Since day one, OddBalls has been supporting health charities and we are very aware of both the physical and mental challenges that face so many people, and how in many cases the two are strongly linked. It’s a privilege to work with Samaritans and we’re really pleased with the very distinctive design that we have launched together, which I am sure will prove to be really popular and raise a good sum for such an important cause.”
Richard Amos, head of corporate partnerships at Samaritans, said: “Thank you to OddBalls for raising money and awareness for Samaritans with this new range. Every 10 seconds, our volunteers respond to a call for help and it’s thanks to the amazing support of organisations like OddBalls and the public that our volunteers can continue to be there for anyone struggling to cope, anytime of day or night.”
The OddBalls Samaritans men’s boxer shorts retail at £12 and the women’s briefs are £11. Both are available now from www.myoddballs.com/collections/samaritans. To find out more about OddBalls, its products and the charities that it supports, visit the website, or find @MyOddBalls on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
To find out more about Samaritans, visit www.samaritans.org. Anyone can contact Samaritans for free any time from any phone on 116 123, or by emailing jo@samaritans.org.