Wear it Green Campaign

Turning Cricket Green for Men’s Mental Health in Norfolk

On 7/8 June 2025, the 8:56 Foundation and the Norfolk Cricket Foundation launched the Wear It Green Campaign - a simple but powerful way to spark conversations about men’s mental health.

The idea was straightforward: If men can wear bright green socks on the cricket field, they can talk about mental health off it.

Cricket clubs across Norfolk embraced the challenge. Players proudly wore luminous green socks, and social media feeds turned green as clubs shared photos and messages. The campaign’s message reached far, far beyond the boundary.

Why Green Socks?

Green is the international colour of mental health awareness. By wearing green socks, cricketers showed support, encouraged conversation, and helped break the silence around men’s mental health. A small gesture became a powerful conversation starter, and one that could save lives. The campaign quickly spread across Norfolk, the UK and far beyond with green socks have now been worn in:

• Norfolk

• Devon

• Cornwall

• Leicestershire

• Manchester

• Australia (Unley Cricket Club)

The campaign also appeared on ITV Anglia News, helping raise further awareness with thousands more people.