Awareness campaign prompts calls to check-in with a friend

Hopes of the nation reaching a first World Cup final in 60 years were dashed when Winston foresaw that Argentina would send Thomas Tuchel’s side packing ahead of their semi-final.

The one-year-old dog shot to fame after he successfully predicted England’s fate in all its group stage and knockout fixtures as part of a stunt organised by city-based PR and video agency Fortitude Communications. It featured on the BBC and regional media.

Fortitude partnered with The Joey Beauchamp Foundation to raise the profile of its work improving mental health provisions and empowering people to overcome personal challenges. 

The Foundation was founded by friends and family of Oxford United legend Joey Beauchamp, following his untimely death in 2022. 

It’s good to talk

Winston’s owner, Shaun Reynolds, Account Manager at Fortitude, now wants his dog’s remarkable World Cup run to open broader conversations between friends, colleagues and families. 

“Winston has psychic powers – that is obvious,” said Shaun. 

“He could sense it clearly wasn’t our time to reach our first World Cup final since 1966, to the disappointment of those who followed his predictions!

“But sensing the struggles that those closest to us might be experiencing behind closed doors is a completely different conversation. 

“Dogs are the most loyal companion a person could ask for, and they’re fantastic icebreakers. People are far more likely to engage in a meaningful conversation when Winston is by my side. 

“If we can apply that to our day-to-day interactions, I have no doubt it will help people living with a mental health challenge on any scale to feel more inclined and secure to talk about their experience.”

The statistical chance of Winston predicting each of England’s games correctly equated to ¹⁷⁵⁄₁.

By contrast, the probability of an adult experiencing a mental health challenge of any severity this year is one in four. Locally, that translates to 165,000 people in Oxfordshire experiencing a mental health issue.

It would take more than 13 Kassam Stadiums to accommodate that number of people. 

Check-in on a friend 

Stuart Crook is a trustee at The Joey Beauchamp Foundation and reiterated how conversations between people mustn’t stop now the World Cup has concluded. 

“Events like the World Cup bring everyone together – they spark conversations,” said Stuart. 

“Of course, the new football season is just around the corner. 

“But we cannot assume football or having a strong network of friends alone are powerful enough to give people the confidence to talk about their concerns. 

“It’s about doing everything in our control to spark those conversations, which I believe in many cases can facilitate the first step in tackling the root cause of a person’s anxiety. 

“Winston has played his part; it’s now down to us to check in on those around us.”

Further information about The Joey Beauchamp Foundation is available online via www​.joey​beauchamp​.org.