Story
A decade ago I lost a close friend and personal mentor to suicide and now I run a social enterprise based in Birmingham called Forward For Life that has the core aim of supporting communities to be suicide safer through specialist training, education and supporting well-being across communities.
Suicide takes the lives of over a million people worldwide each year.
In the UK, over 6000 lives are lost to suicide each year and the numbers are rising.
Each day, in the UK 12 men take their own life - that's one man every two hours.
Suicide is the biggest killer of men between the age of 20 and 49 in England and Wales.
More die by suicide each year than die in road accidents.
On the 14th September 2014 I will be cycling 100k (about 60 odd miles) and on the 21st September I will be taking part in the 100 mile Bikeathon in and around Birmingham - for taking on these two rides I am hoping I can raise money for a nationally reputed Suicide Prevention Charity known as CALM.
THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST LIVING MISERABLY, or CALM, is a fantastic registered charity, which exists to prevent male suicide in the UK by:-
- Offering support to men in the UK, of any age, who are down or in crisis via our helpline and website.
- Challenging a culture that prevents men seeking help when they need it.
- Pushing for changes in policy and practice.