UK hip hop star, Professor Green, hosted January’s BBC Lifeline Appeal on behalf of Campaign Against Living Miserably with the aim of raising awareness of male suicide, the single biggest killer of men 20-45 in the UK.
The BBC Lifeline appeal is led by Professor Green and features the Stringer Family who tragically lost their son, Hector, at the age of 18 and comedian Jake Mills, from Merseyside who attempted to take his own life but, through the support provided by CALM, sought help and now campaigns to raise awareness of male suicide and the work that CALM does.
CALM CEO, Jane Powell, says:
“Male suicide is a huge issue but we’ve really struggled to raise awareness and money for our helpline, so it is brilliant to finally have someone as highly regarded and well known as Professor Green who is willing to push the issue.”
In 2013 there were 6,233 suicides in the UK, of which 78%, or 4,858, were male. Just over 13 male suicides every day. Male suicide numbers are at a 15-year high, and suicide is now the single biggest killer of men aged 20-45 in the UK (ONS, GRO, NISRA)*.
Every £6 raised by the BBC Lifeline Appeal will fund a potentially lifesaving call to the CALM helpline.
You can watch the BBC Lifeline Appeal film here:
#BBCLifeline
#savethemale
How to donate to CALM’s BBC Lifeline Appeal:
ONLINE: www.thecalmzone.net/donate
TEXT: CALM20 £3 or £5 to 70070 to donate
POST:
Please make your cheque payable to CALM and send it to:
CALM
5 Wootton Street,
London,
SE1 8TG
All photos ©BBC
*SOURCE: UK Registered Deaths for which the underlying cause was classified as 'intentional self-harm' or 'event of undetermined intent' 2013
ONS: http://ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/mortality-statistics--deaths-registered-in-england-and-wales--series-dr-/2013/index.html
NISRA: http://www.nisra.gov.uk/demography/default.asp31.htm, deaths by sex and age 1970-2013
GRO: http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/deaths/suicides/list-of-tables-and-chart, tables M and F