THE heart of Southampton will transform into a five-a-side football arena today.

In a bid to raise awareness of mental health, Southampton’s Guildhall Square will hold the Saints vs Stigma Football Festival.

The city landmark will be transformed to raise awareness of mental health and encourage people to join the city-wide movement against stigma.

The Saints Foundation is teaming up with Southampton City Council and Hampshire health support organisations to host the event.

One in four people will experience a mental health problem this year, yet many suffer in silence through fear of stigma.

The football festival hopes to encourage people to unite against mental health stigma using football to raise the topic, as well as helping people to speak up about mental health.

Nine schools from across Hampshire will be competing as part of the Kicks for Youth inclusion project.

Special guest teams from Arsenal, Norwich, Brighton and Belgian club Ghent will also be taking part in matches during the day.

There will also be a pink stool as part of mental health charity Time to Change’s national campaign.

Attendees can sit and have their photographs taken on the stool to symbolise that they would be in their friends corner regarding mental health.

The festival will take place from April 28 to 30, from noon until 7pm.

Southampton Ukulele Jam will play live music at the free event.

Greg Baker, head of Saints Foundation and Community Partnerships, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the city council on this event, which forms part of our ‘Saints Together’ week, culminating at the Premier League match vs Hull City on April 29.

“We hope that it will help break down the stigma and associated issues surrounding mental health, an issue that underpins many of the projects that Saints Foundation deliver.

“These three days will bring together people of all ages and backgrounds with whom the Foundation work, and help to support positive mental health in the city.”