A UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of the epidemic of male suicide has announced a partnership with The Stage pub on Wollaton Street as part of its annual 'Rise Against Suicide' campaign. HUMEN is asking people to join the walk, donate and get men talking as part of the campaign.
Supporters will embark on a 5,151m walk which will start at The Stage at 10am on December 4 with each metre representing a man who has lost their life to suicide in the last year. The charity conducted research into men's habits when socialising and discovered 36% of men in the UK do not feel comfortable having serious discussions in pubs.
Pubs are the cornerstone of many communities and HUMEN aim to encourage dialogue among men while identifying mental health concerns. The pub partnership with Star Pubs & Bars will bring local communities together to reflect and honour those who have died.
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On the day, participants will be encouraged to start a group walk led by HUMEN and their local community to commemorate each life lost. Once the walk is complete, they will return to The Stage and be encouraged to donate the typical cost of a round to support the charity's work in providing anonymous and preventative spaces for men to talk, via its Mental Health Pub Menu.
Men are half as likely to seek out help or support about their own mental health. It is estimated that 14 men take their own lives each day.
HUMEN's research also uncovered that 30% of men admitted to their friends in the pub that they are worried about their personal lives and futures. A further 78% believe that men should talk more about personal matters with each other in the pub.
The campaign will take place in pubs across England, Scotland and Wales including cities such as London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester, Brighton, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool and Southampton.
Richard, The Stage’s landlord said: “We completely agree with the sentiment of pubs being an essential part of communities. We see this daily as we welcome groups of people from across Nottingham.
"I work hard with my team to create a safe place for our guests to socialise, one where they can talk openly about the issues that matter to them. De-stressing is important, but so is opening up to those we trust.
"When we were asked by Star Pubs & Bars and HUMEN to take part in the nationwide event, we leapt at the chance. I really look forward to the day itself and hope that we can play a part, no matter how big or small, in raising that money and addressing men’s mental health head-on next year."
HUMEN Founder and Actor, River Hawkins said: “We all need friendly spaces to talk, listen and connect. Pubs are the cornerstone of communities, but as our research tells us, they are currently wasted on men – who would seemingly prefer to talk about anything other than their personal trials and tribulations. We truly believe that this type of gathering place can play an important role in addressing suicide and mental health, if we just harness it for good, rather than the traditional ‘drink and forget’ mentality that plagues male social circles."
This is what our partnership with Heineken aims to achieve this December. This is the second year of our Rise Against Suicide and we intend to Rise every year for years to come. Talking openly to friends, family & professionals are essential steps to overcome the hidden issues and barriers in our quest to lower the number of suicides and in turn, lower the number of metres we walk next year.”
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