Pubs, bookies and barbers helping to tackle male suicide in Leeds
The new scheme's getting businesses to reach out to isolated companies
Last updated 11th Jul 2019
Pubs, bookies and barbers are coming together to help bring down the rates of male suicides across East Leeds.
A groundbreaking new scheme's getting them to reach out and talk to customers who might be isolated or struggling with their mental health and signpost support.
Organisers tell us four out of five suicides in Leeds are male and LS9 has particularly high rates that are above the national average.
Amy Driffield runs Shaftesbury Fisheries who are taking part - she says it's already helped one of their customers who lost his wife:
"We're like a little family. We sat down, we spoke with him, and I gave him one of these Manbasador leaflets. He burst into tears and i think that was because he knew there were other people like him or there was help there and support.
"We've had the business six years now - we know what people are doing on a weekend, on a night, we know their families. So you build a raport and relationship with the customers, so it's a little more comfortable to suggest things like this. We have that kind of relationship with the customers.
"There's still a stigma with guys, especially with either mental health, if they're lonely, I don't think guys really speak up about it so I think just putting it in their eyeline or suggesting it ever so gently - it goes down well."
The Manbassador project's being run by charity Feel Good Factor who says they've been overwhelmed by the number of businesses in the area who want to take part.
Damian Dawtry's their Project Manager:
"It's important to stop even just one suicide. The fact that so many suicides are men means that there is something particular for men about why they are taking their own lives. Projects like this help us to try and find ways that we can help these men.
"With funding from Leeds City Council, we wanted to be able to access men who we don't normally access through our normal services - for example men who are coming to places like this, Shaftesbury Fish and Chips."