A DAY of football, family, friends and awareness will be held near Coleford this month, in memory of a beloved local man.

On Saturday, August 15, English Bicknor Village Hall will be host to the annual ‘Dan’s Day’, which memorialises The Forest of Dean’s Daniel Brough who passed away suddenly in 2024.

Organised by Daniel’s family and friends, the day will see a football match kick off at 3pm, a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses and individuals, a family stall, refreshments, and evening music by DJ Curtis James.

Monies raised from Dan’s Day this year will be donated to Mon’s Chatter, a community support group focused on men's mental health in the Forest of Dean - a cause which is close to the heart of Daniel’s family.

Jordan Childs, Daniel’s sister, said: “Back in the day, Dan was the life of the party. Football every week. If he wasn’t playing it, he was watching it. He liked to go out to concerts and gigs. He was a really sociable person, and then his mental health just took it all from him. He didn’t leave the house, didn’t socialise and completely stopped playing football.”

Dans Day 2026
Dan's Day honours beloved Daniel Brough (Iliffe Media)

Many people are expected to attend this year, including representatives of Mon’s Chatter. The support group and Daniel’s family hope the day will encourage men to talk about their mental health more openly.

Jordan said: “We hope for more conversations, both for what Mon’s Chatter is and what they do and to normalise men talking about their mental health.

“I think the work they do is amazing and it’s so local. The money’s going into the community and helping with mental health, which is such a taboo.”

Trying to increase the open-talk of men’s mental health is something which Mon’s Chatter hopes can be achieved.

Marcus Gartside of Mon’s Chatter said: “What we’re looking to do is for people not to feel embarrassed about it. Come in, it’s a welcome community - you don’t even have to speak, but the majority do. The feedback we’ve had has been really good, where people may not have wanted to talk but now they do.

“We’re not there to give advice, we’re there to listen - and that prompts conversation where someone has been in the position as one or two other people around the table.

“There is still a stigma around men’s mental health, but days like this provide an opportunity to show what we do and show there’s plenty of people out there to talk to and can help.”

Leah Childs, Daniel’s sister, explained the day remembers Daniel through things he loved, including football, socialising and music, citing his fondness for Gloucester nightclub, Fever.

Jordan and Leah added that football can be so much more than just a game. It can be an opportunity to talk to friends, and sometimes this can be the only time a person may socialise throughout the week.

While the day is in Daniel’s name and is a way for family and friends to remember him, everybody is welcome to attend the event.

You can find more information about the day via the Daniel Brough Memorial Trophy Facebook page.