A former Workington Reds midfielder Will Vaulks has been nominated for the FIFPRO Player Voice Award.
It’s a global honour recognising professional footballers who use their platform to inspire change.
Vaulks’ nomination has been received due to his exceptional work addressing suicide prevention and mental health awareness, both within football and across the community.
Having lost both of his grandfathers to suicide as a teenager, Will has used his personal experience to drive meaningful action and tackle stigmas.
As an ambassador for the Baton of Hope charity, he has led his latest club Oxford United’s award-winning Can We Talk? campaign, delivering real impact through various initiatives.
These have included suicide prevention and mental health workshops for supporters and collaboration with the EFL and PFA to shape a national suicide prevention framework.
He has also engaged with local schools in the Oxford area pledging to visit ten across the county this season.
Earlier this year Will championed Oxford United’s decision to become the first sporting organisation to sign the Baton of Hope Workplace Pledge, demonstrating the Club’s commitment to improving mental health and suicide awareness.
The Merit Awards have three categories, including Player Voice, Player Impact, and Player Activism.
The FIFPro Merit Award winners will be announced at the FIFPRO General Assembly in Lisbon on Tuesday, November 18.
Vaulkes, now 32, got his first real break in the game with Workington in the 2012/13 season.
He was loaned to Reds from Tranmere Rovers and proved to be an outstanding 19-year-old clocking up 24 appearances and scoring one goal, the equaliser in a 2-1 home win at Borough Park against Droylsden.
He signed a permanent deal with Reds, who were playing National North then, but a clause in his contract confirmed that if a League club came in for him he was free to leave.
As a result he moved to Falkirk where he played 108 times and scored ten goals.
From there he’s been a solid performer for Rotherham (125, 13); Cardiff City (105, 11), Sheffield Wednesday (77, 2) and now Oxford United 43, 1).
He has also played seven times for Wales, called up by Ryan Giggs in 2019 and qualifying through his mother.
