Prince William visits a construction site in west London to discuss suicide prevention
ITV News London's Sam Holder, was on location with The Prince of Wales.
Prince William questioned construction workers in London about their mental health during their lunch break after he visited a major building site.
William quizzed a group of carpenters and a supervisor during a visit to their on-site canteen after touring the development in a hard-hat, high visibility jacket and protective glasses.
This comes after the Office for National Statistics released data showing that construction workers face a higher risk of suicide than those from other sectors, with rates in the industry more than three times higher than the national average.
When William first arrived at the building site in west London he said: “I imagine construction is quite a male dominated environment, that’s a hard-to-reach group.”
Global construction firm Mace told William about initiatives the firm is running in partnership with Mates In Mind, a leading UK charity raising awareness and addressing the stigma of poor mental health.
It is thought a range of issues contribute to poor mental health on building sites, from workers employed away from home and so left isolated, pressure from construction deadlines, and the masculine culture where men do not talk about their feelings.
When William visited the canteen where workers were enjoying a lunch break, he asked a group of men if they “talk about mental health?” adding “mental fitness, is that something you relate to?”.
Supervisor Edward Xhafa, 43 said after speaking to the prince: “Everywhere you look there is pressure but we talk about it a lot.
“We look after each other, we communicate with each other and there are sessions here every week where you’re able to talk through everything.”
Samaritans provides round-the-clock support for people when they need it most.You can call them 24 hours a day on 116 123. They also have tips if you're concerned about someone you know, and advice if you're struggling yourself.
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