Hinckley and Bosworth Lib Dems welcome new campaign to prevent male suicide
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2016, Liberal Democrats in Hinckley and Bosworth are backing a new campaign which aims to prevent male suicide in the UK.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a national coalition of charities and other organisations, aims to do this by offering support, challenging a culture that prevents men seeking help when they need it, and pushing for changes in public policy so that suicide is better prevented.
At present, young and middle aged men are roughly three times more likely to take their own lives than women.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), suicide is the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK...with 76% of all suicides in 2014 being men.
Figures show that one in forty think about suicide over the course of a year.
The CALM coalition includes the Samaritans, National Rail, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Highways England, British Transport Police, the National Police Chiefs' Council, the Chief Fire Officers Association and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives.
Councillor Michael Mullaney, the Lib Dems Parliamentary Spokesperson for Bosworth, says "Suicide rates among men, particularly young men, are far too high.
"This initiative will hopefully help with cutting suicide rates.
"Anything that can encourage people to talk about their problems needs to be encouraged."
Campaigner Mathew Hulbert, former Councillor for Barwell, says "CALM provides a free, anonymous, confidential helpline and webchat service to give support and information to men of all ages who are down or need help.
"They also run a website, thecalmzone.net, and a free magazine, the calmzine, where men can find information, solidarity and support.
"We all feel down sometimes, we all go through tough times, and it is not weak to seek support and help. It is, actually, the strongest and best thing we can do."
The helpline is 0800 58 58 58 5pm-Midnight every day and CALM can also be contacted online via: thecalmzone.net