Mental Health charity in Salford are handing out free pizza to get construction workers talking about mental health
- Initiative by mental health charity uses pizza as an icebreaker to talk to construction workers
- Men in the construction industry three times more likely to commit suicide than national average
- First event took place on the Crescent in Salford
A Salford mental health charity will be touring building sites in Salford offering free ‘builder’s lunches’ in a bid to get construction workers talking about mental health and suicide.
START are doing this because men in the construction industry are three times more likely to take their own lives according to national statistics.
The free lunches and chats are part of START’s Reach Out; Start to End Suicide campaign which seeks to raise awareness of the issue and the support available.
Dennis Baldwin from START said: “The pizza and free lunches are great ways to break the ice and get men talking about mental health. We need to break down the stigma that stops construction workers reaching out for help for themselves and for others.”
Salford Mayor Paul Dennett, who is backing the campaign, said: “Even one life lost to suicide is one too many. Salford is experiencing incredible levels of construction right now so I’m very pleased START are reaching out to building site workers in this way to show them support is there and they are being strong if they reach out for it.
“People’s minds and bodies are linked and we need to be as comfortable talking about mental health as we are physical health. This is a great step in that direction.”
The first Builders’ Lunch was held on Wednesday June 5 at the Domis construction site, The Crescent, Salford where 392 apartments are being built.