Boys don’t cry. Man up. Be a man. Stop acting like a girl. These are all phrases that have been used over and over towards men when they have shown even the slightest bit of emotion.

This has led to decades of men keeping their feelings bottled up, but, this is changing with people setting up groups and charities aimed at men to get them talking. 

This year, Barkston Plastics we are joining forces to raise money and awareness for men’s mental health and suicide prevention. 

Nine of us (Felix missed the group photo!) will be growing a moustache and letting you decide who has grown the best tash! 

Some of us will also be walking 60km over the month, which you can keep updated on via the Movember website: https://movember.com/t/barkston-plastics?mc=1

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, with 77% of suicide victims being men.

In 2015, private mental health care provider, Priory Group, surveyed 1000 men and found that 40% won’t talk about their feelings, and 20% of them said its due to the stigma around talking about their feelings. 

Movember are the leading charity changing the face of men’s health. Since 2003, they have funded more than 1250 men’s health projects around the world. They challenge the stigma and transforming men’s health research and the way health services reach and support men.
 
Mental health within men is still a taboo subject, and something a lot of men find hard to discuss with others. This is slowly beginning to change, with people encouraging men to speak up and talk to their friends when they are struggling. It’s about changing the narrative to say that showing emotions doesn’t equate to weakness, but strength. 
 
Around three-quarters of suicides are being carried out by men. And this number follows a consistent trend since the mid-1990s.

If you know someone who is struggling with their mental health, encourage them to speak up or seek help, put the kettle on and lend them a shoulder to cry on; don’t let them bottle it up.
 
Follow us over the month to raise awareness and if you are in the position to, please donate. Even £1 goes a long way.

Samaritans is open 24 hours a day, call them on 116 123, or email them at [email protected]

You can donate to our Movember campaign by clicking this link and we thank each and every one of you for reading this post and supporting our campaign to help men stop dying too young.