The New Wear high-level Footbridge project team recently welcomed Danny Sculthorpe and Phil Veivers from State of Mind to site.
Danny and Phil, two ex-professional rugby league players, shared their knowledge and personal experience addressing topics such as mood, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation and what worked for them in turning their lives around.
State of Mind is a charity which uses the power of sport to raise awareness of, and promote mental health fitness, wellbeing and resilience, tackle stigma and to signpost and encourage access to timely support to ultimately prevent suicide.
The information and statistics presented during the session were alarming:
- Those working in the construction industry are 10x more likely to die by suicide than in an accident
- 1 in 3 people in the UK struggle with their mental health
- Worldwide, there is 1 suicide every 40 seconds.
By promoting mental health initiatives such as seminars like those presented by State of Mind, we hope to foster a culture of acceptance and remove stigma, so that everyone feels comfortable and able to discuss their state of mind and find positive solutions.
The feedback from everyone who attended was fantastic and the session had an impact on everyone in the room, regardless of their role. Thank you to Danny Sculthorpe and Phil Veivers from State of Mind for sharing their story with us.
