Be A Game Changer Project Participants Observe Suicide Prevention Day
Today, September 10, is World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) and it provides the opportunity for people across the globe to raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention. Newcastle Foundation runs a health and wellbeing project – Be A Game Changer – and its participants are today taking centre stage to highlight mental health.
The North East of England where Newcastle is located has the highest male suicide rate in the United Kingdom. The foundation notes that figures published in summer 2019 reveal the number of people taking their own life is on the increase in nationally and men account for 75 per cent of all recorded suicides in the UK. Suicide is the most common cause of death for men aged 20 to 49 in England and Wales.
Mental health problems are common in the UK and one in four will experience a mental health problem each year. That’s an average of 12,989 fans at every Newcastle United game. In response, the foundation launched Be A Game Changer to encourage people in their city to talk openly about mental health and to provide tips on how to improve physical and mental wellbeing. Today, some of these mental wellness project participants share their experiences.
