Shattering Stigma - Mental Health in Construction

It's when the bills are due and they've doubled in cost. It's when your kids need new school uniforms and your payment application has been knocked. It's when the bad weather strikes, building sites close and you're self-employed.

The stats are grim. Suicide rates in the construction industry are higher than any other occupation, especially for men. 4 in 5 suicides are men and it's the biggest killer of men under the age of 35!

It can be the toll of childhood injunctions or expectations – it all builds up, brick by emotional brick until something breaks. And sometimes, tragically, what breaks is someone's desire to live.

But we should refuse to let the silence win. That's why I'm raising money for Mates in Mind, a charity building a safety net for those struggling on the foundations of their mental health. It's not about weakness, it's about it being ok to struggle. It's about it being ok to be vulnerable and share thoughts and feelings. And it's about being ok to ask for help.

Our family, friends and colleagues, on the building sites across the UK, deserve better. A hard hat is f**k all use for an impact that has no physical symptoms. We need to remind our men that their worth isn't measured in bricks laid, wages earned or social standing.

That's why every penny we raise for Mates in Mind is vital. It's funding for support groups, for mental health training, for resources that show all lads they're not alone. We matter, our struggles matter, and there's a whole industry that needs to raise awareness, ready to hold us up.

This isn't just about charity, it's about community. We're fathers, we're sons, we're brothers. But like any foundation, we need a strong base, and that base is our mental health.

Together, we can turn the tide, brick by brick, and rewrite the narrative for the young guns coming through. Teach them the skills to manage mental wellbeing and make it ok to ask for help if we can't manage it alone!

Because in the end, it's not about the buildings we construct, but the lives we lift. And that's a project worth supporting.

To help raise vital funds, I am running the Brighton Half-Marathon on Sunday 25th February.

I fully understand how hard it is financially for everyone at this present time. However, I also believe there is always someone worse off who needs our help right now. If you can spare a few pounds to help a worthy cause, I am certain Mates in Mind will be truly appreciative.

Thank you!