Too many men are struggling with their mental health in silence. Too ashamed, self-conscious or embarrassed to reach out, they try to work things out on their own, driven by the fear of being a burden to others.

Which is why I'm raising money for Mercy UK to help men through free counselling as part of the Freedom Course.

Will you join me in saying to all the men out there who are struggling:

“You are not a burden. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Change is possible. God wants to help you find your freedom.”

Read more about the current status of men's mental health below...

The statistics around this issue are heartbreaking and highlights how urgent the situation is:

Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50

- 4 in 10 men have NEVER spoken to someone about their mental health

- Two of the leading reasons men don’t talk are ‘I don’t wish to be a burden’ and ‘I’m too embarrassed’

Bryn Abbott & Paul Marshall are raising money for Men’s Mental Health by doing something terrifying…

“We could have jumped out of a plane. Or climbed a mountain. Or wrestled a crocodile. But we decided to do something far scarier: talk about mental health non-stop for 24 hours and live-stream it all.”

Bryn and Paul will be joined by an exciting lineup of guests, interviews, call-ins, games and live music while they take a deep-dive into their own personal journeys (including terrorist attacks, the military, fatherhood and leadership).

We’ll be talking to a broad spectrum of characters from the professional psychologist to the professional barber; from those battling mental health on the football pitch to those battling it on the school run.

AIM:

We are aiming to raise £20k for Mercy UK which will provide up to 400 hours of FREE counselling for Men going through our Freedom Course: a FREE 16 week programme which includes access to counselling and other specialised support.

The support that Mercy UK offer to is needed now more than ever. The statistics around men’s mental health in the UK are shocking. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50 and 4 in 10 men have NEVER spoken to someone about their mental health. 40% of men say it’d take self-harm or suicidal thoughts for them to seek professional help.

This fundraiser is part of The Big Christian Mental Health campaign which is run by Mercy UK, a Christian Mental Health charity. Throughout 2024 we want to break the taboo and remove the stigma around mental health and normalise Christ-centred support.

WHO THE HECK ARE BRYN & PAUL?!

Bryn Abbott is the Director of Development for Mercy UK. His parents were missionaries and he grew up in the mountainous regions of rural Pakistan. That chapter of his life closed following a fatal terrorist attack at the school he attended. He has five children and continually navigates feelings of overwhelm as a father, husband and member of the Senior Leadership Team at Mercy UK.

Paul Marshall is one the Freedom Course Facilitators at Mercy UK. He spent several years in the military, which included some really challenging encounters. When he reflects on this period of his life, he’s aware of how much his love of adventure and death-defying thrill-seeking was ultimately a form of escapism and now channels this energy into the bravery and courage needed to face the everyday challenges we all navigate.