At Pathway Project, we are always looking for new and creative ways to start important conversations about domestic abuse within our communities. This year, ahead of the World Cup, we launched a competition for children of school age across Tamworth and Lichfield schools and community groups, inviting them to design the back of a beer mat around a simple but powerful theme:
“What does safety and a safe home mean to you?”
The response was incredible.
Children shared thoughtful, heartfelt and inspiring designs that reminded us all of something we should never take for granted – that every child deserves to feel safe, loved and protected in their own home.
Why a Beer Mat?
Major sporting tournaments bring communities together, creating excitement, celebration and shared experiences. However, they can also coincide with an increase in domestic abuse incidents.
Research from Lancaster University found that reports of domestic abuse increase by 26% when England win or draw a major tournament match, and by 38% when England lose. Reports also remain 11% higher than average on the following day, regardless of the result.
Further research from Warwick Business School found that alcohol-related domestic abuse incidents increase by 47% following an England victory in major football tournaments.
These statistics are a stark reminder that whilst football does not cause domestic abuse, periods of heightened emotion and increased alcohol consumption can exacerbate abusive behaviour already present within relationships. Domestic abuse is always the responsibility of the perpetrator.
With this in mind, we wanted to use a familiar item found in pubs, clubs and social venues to spread an important message: home should always be a place of safety.
Our Winning Design
After receiving some fantastic entries, the competition was won by an 11-year-old local schoolboy Thomas, whose design beautifully captured what a safe home means to him.
His artwork focused on feelings of security, happiness and togetherness, reflecting exactly what every child should experience at home.
The design was transformed into thousands of printed beer mats, carrying not only a child’s vision of safety but also an important message about domestic abuse awareness and support services available within our local communities.
A Truly Team Effort
This project would not have been possible without the support of our schools, community groups, local businesses and partners who helped us share the campaign far and wide.
We are especially grateful to Neil and the team at Lichfield Radio, who immediately recognised the importance of the message and got behind the campaign from the very beginning. Their enthusiasm and support helped us take this local awareness initiative far beyond Tamworth and Lichfield and ensure that the voices of local children were heard by an even wider audience.
From Lichfield to the World Cup!
What happened next was something we could never have imagined.
Thanks to Neil from Lichfield Radio, our campaign quite literally went global. While attending the FIFA World Cup, Neil took our specially designed beer mats with him and proudly helped spread our message of safety and domestic abuse awareness across the United States.
The beer mats travelled to stadiums in Boston, New Jersey and Philadelphia, and were even placed in bars and venues across New York and Manhattan, putting a child from our local community’s vision of a safe home in front of football fans from around the world.
Thomas was very surprised and excited when his winning entry was spoken about on the radio and was beaming for ear to ear when he found out that’s his mats had actually been to the World Cup itself, stating “No way!!”
To think that an artwork created by an 11-year-old pupil from our area made its way from a local competition to the world’s biggest football tournament is truly remarkable.
We are incredibly thankful to Neil for championing the campaign and helping us raise awareness as widely as possible. His support demonstrates the power of communities coming together to tackle domestic abuse and ensure that important messages reach people wherever they may be.
A Message That Matters
Whilst we’re delighted that our beer mats reached the World Cup, the real success of this project lies in the conversations it has started.
Research has shown that reports of domestic abuse can increase by 26% when England win or draw a major tournament match, and by 38% when they lose, while incidents remain elevated the following day. These statistics serve as an important reminder that major sporting events can be a particularly challenging time for many families.
By sharing a child’s perspective of what safety looks like, we hoped to remind people that every child deserves to feel secure, valued and protected in their own home.
To everyone who entered the competition, supported the campaign, distributed beer mats, and helped spread the message—thank you.
And to Neil and Lichfield Radio, thank you for helping take a simple but powerful message from the streets of Tamworth and Lichfield all the way to the World Cup. Together, we have shown that when a community works together, even the smallest voice can make a global impact.