The Bristol street mural encouraging men to talk about their mental health

  • Watch timelapse footage of the mural being painted


A mural has been painted on the front of a brewery in Bristol to encourage men to talk about their mental health.

It was created by graffiti artist Inkie for 'Talk Club' - a group founded in a back room at Bristol Beer Factory in response to the growing number of men taking their lives.

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 49, according to the Mental Health Foundation.

And in the UK, they are three times more likely to take their lives than women.

Originally attended by just a handful of people in the city, Talk Club now sees more than 2,000 men meet to talk about how they are feeling.

And to celebrate its second birthday, the mural on North Street has been designed to highlight the power of talking and, ultimately, save lives.

"I'm hoping that people walk past, see the words, and they will inspire them to stop and take a moment, ask themselves how they are doing out of 10, and start a conversation with someone else," said Talk Club co-founder Gavin Thorpe.

"It's very important, especially at the moment coming out of lockdown, we've been in isolation for a long time, and so now more than ever it's important that we can start talking again.

Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe helped establish Talk Club. Credit: Talk Club

The installation of the piece coincides with the reopening of pubs, which could happen as early as 12 April if the Prime Minister's roadmap goes ahead as planned.

From this date, customers can be served outside. On 17 May hospitality bosses may be allowed to sit customers inside if coronavirus infection rates allow.

The group started inside Bristol Beer Factory and now the mural on the front of the building aims to remind men about Talk Club's mission as they walk inside.

"There are so many roadblocks to men talking about their mental health," said one of the directors at Bristol Beer Factory, Sam Burrows.

"The more of those that we can knock down to get them past that stage is so important, and walking through a door of a pub is a lot easier than going through a sterile reception into a counselling group, so I think that's why it works so well."

Talk Club was co-founded by filmmaker Ben Akers after he lost his childhood best friend to suicide in 2014.

Steve Yates' story was documented in a film made by Ben, which he later showcased in venues across the country - including pubs.

The group's key question is 'How are you out of 10?'

Instead of using the phrase mental health, they have coined the term 'mental fitness' in a bid to challenge negative perceptions and normalise open conversation.

You can find out more here.

If you need to talk to someone, or want to help someone else, you can get help here:


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