We are proud to have renewed our membership of, and commitment to, the charity Mates in Mind for another three years. The charity’s aims and objectives mean a lot to us, and we wholeheartedly support its mission to improve the mental health of all those working in construction and related industries.

Mental ill-health is a pervasive challenge across all UK workplaces; however, its negative impacts within the construction industry are even more pronounced – with suicide rates amongst construction workers more than three times higher than the national average.

Mates in Mind launched in 2017, and in its first year, it reached more than 187,000 individuals across the sector. The charity provides clear information to employers within the construction industry on available support and guidance on mental health, mental illness, and mental wellbeing, as well as advice on how they can address this within their organisations.

Its mission is to raise awareness and understanding of mental health and mental ill-health and how to get support. In addition, it is working to break the silence and stigma surrounding mental health by promoting cultures of positive wellbeing throughout the construction industry.

Mates in Mind has an ambitious goal – to reach more than 100,000 workers every year, and by 2025, it aims to have reached 75% of the construction industry.

To detect the early signs of mental health issues, we appointed and trained three mental health first aiders, which allows them to provide initial help to someone suffering from mental health issues. We always encourage conversations about mental health and want our staff to understand when, where, and how they can get support. Remember, it is ok not to be ok.