Men's Talk Club launched in Bristol
A film-maker from Bristol has co-founded a 'Talk Club' for men in a bid to encourage them to chat more openly about their mental health.
Ben Akers helped set up the group at Bristol Beer Factory on North Street after releasing a documentary to raise awareness of male suicide. The film was inspired by Ben's own experience, after he lost his childhood best friend to suicide at the age of 38.
Working with Ben to establish Talk Club across the region is a group of men who also want to eradicate the stigma surrounding them and their inability to open up about their problems. Gavin Thorpe, one of the founders of the group, described the problem of male suicide as an "epidemic".
According to the charity Samaritans, middle-aged men are one of the most high-risk groups for suicide - they are three times more likely to take their own lives than women.
Ben, Gavin and the other founders of Talk Club hope to normalise the conversation around mental health to prevent these numbers from rising.
To find out more about Talk Club, or discover how to set up your own, visit the website.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, there are plenty of places you can go to for support and advice:
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