Better Business / Member news
Talk Club launches vital funding round on World Suicide Prevention Day
September 10 marked the World Suicide Prevention Day. It is one day of the year where the spotlight turns on the topic of suicide. But the Southville-based mental health charity Talk Club believes that everyday should be a World Suicide Prevention Day
Ben Akers, co-founder and co-chief executive of Talk Club said: “But WSPD wasn’t just yesterday. It’s also today. And tomorrow. And the day after that. Because every day is world suicide prevention day. Especially at Talk Club.”
The topic is close to the founding ethos of the Talk Club which was created after the suicides of several friends of its founders.
They joined forces and started a movement to help men talk about their worries in a safe supportive space. What started in 2019 at the back of a pub in Southville has grown into a 100-club network of Talk Clubs around the country, where 14 of them are located in Bristol.
Talk Club which began as a single talking club in Southville in 2019 has developed into 100-club network
Talk Club gained charity status in 2021 and is based around the simple but potent questions of “How are you? Out of 10?
The charity which received endorsements from the likes of Liam Gallagher and Tyson Fury has been providing vital services to people around the country, ranging from Talk & Listen to Talk & Exercise and Talk Club Therapy and training over 700 captains to better equip them for the task.
But like all charities Talk Club requires funding to maintain the services and sustain its growth. Talk Club has launched its first ever public donation round in the form of #2HoursForTalkClub.
The statistics on male suicide in the UK paints a chilling picture which requires far-reaching solutions.According to the figures a man takes his own life every two hours in the UK. And three quarters of suicide victims are male. Furthermore, it is cited as the biggest killer of men under 50.
Talk Club is asking people to donate two hours of their salary to “help men help themselves”. Their launch video contains members of staff and the community just simply stating the facts and asking for help.
Talk Club co-founder and co-chief executive Ben Akers said “Everyday should be a World Suicide Prevention Day” in the face of alarming statistics
“At Talk Club, we keep everything very simple. Numbers don’t lie. So we thought we would begin with the hardest ones. That statistically, a man takes his own life every 2 hours in the UK,” said Ben.
“A special thanks to film-maker Siôn Roe for creating this film and all the amazing people who contributed” he continued.
If you would like to be part of the fundraiser to donate two hours of your salary, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/2hoursfortalkclub
Or maybe you are a business who would like to help, please contact fundraising@TalkClub.org
All photos: Talk Club
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