More than £616,000 has been awarded to twenty-three projects across North Yorkshire, including a wellbeing programme in Scarborough and Whitby, to help improve men's mental health and reduce the risk of suicide.
New funding from the Mayor's Men's Mental Health Fund will see fresh opportunities across North Yorkshire to help more men take part in activities that support their wellbeing.
A total investment of more than £616,000 has been awarded to twenty-three projects. The funding is designed to help increase and support men's mental health activities in both community and workplace settings across the region.
Among the locally funded projects on the Yorkshire Coast is Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Mind's wellbeing programme. The initiative will provide dedicated support for high-functioning neurodivergent boys aged between eleven and sixteen.
Other beneficiaries of this year's funding include The Common Ground Project, which offers nature-based and bushcraft-led mental health support for men. The investment will also see the launch of five Men's Pie Clubs to create welcoming spaces for connection through weekly pie making, alongside tailored support for men in farming through advice, signposting, community engagement, and peer-to-peer support.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:
"The biggest killer of men under 50 is suicide, that should stop us all in our tracks. After my dad died, I went through my own mental health challenges, the support I got from people and professionals around me was invaluable. I was fortunate to get that help, but not everyone can.
There are too many men in York and North Yorkshire with nowhere or no one to turn to. The 23 projects we're funding today are helping to change that. Giving more men the space they need early on to stop them reaching crisis point.
This is deeply personal to me, as Mayor I can do something that makes a difference, that's exactly what this funding is going to start to do."
The suicide prevention charity PAPYRUS is also among the organisations celebrating the new funding. The charity has stated it will use the money awarded to support vital work with people struggling across rural communities.
James Parkes, Area Manager for England North at PAPYRUS, said:
"We know that men and boys living in often isolated rural communities, particularly those engaged in farming or other agricultural trades, are at increased risk of suicide.
Tragically around three agricultural workers take their own lives every week in the UK, and we will use the generous funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to target and engage locally with the most vulnerable.
PAPYRUS will work across the area at grassroots level, increasing our visibility at agricultural shows, auction marts and community events. We will build connections, help to reduce the stigma around suicide, increase help-seeking and spread greater awareness of the lifesaving help and support which is available.
We believe suicide is everyone's business. We will reach out to offer training and talks tailored to specific need, share resources and equip people with the skills to recognise and respond to suicidal behaviour.
Together we will help to make our communities across York and North Yorkshire suicide safe."
A full list of the successful projects can be found on the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority website under the Men's Mental Health Investment Programme.
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