Suicide is the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK
An art installation has been unveiled on top of This Morning’s studio as part of a hard-hitting campaign by male suicide prevention charity CALM.
Every week, 84 men in the UK die by suicide, amounting to one life lost every two hours, and male suicide continues to be the biggest killer of men under 45.
The 84 powerful sculptures, made by American artist Mark Jenkins and his collaborator Sandra Fernandez, are visual representations of 84 real British men that tragically took their own lives. Made possible by male grooming brand Harry’s, the sculptures were created during a series of workshops with the support of bereaved family members and friends of the deceased, and made using Jenkins’ signature tape casting technique.
The sculptures will be installed on top of ITV’s landmark headquarters on London’s Southbank from March 26.
CALM calls on the public to be part of the movement and put pressure on government to demand for ministerial mandate for suicide prevention by signing the Project 84 petition.
This Morning’s Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield started Monday’s show on the top of the building, to unveil the installation.
Phillip said: “Here at this morning we never shy away from stories that can difficult to talk about – and without doubt, one of the most heart breaking is losing a loved one to suicide.”
Holly said: “That is why today we are unveiling 84 life sizes sculptures – each representing a real man who has taken his own life, in the hope that it will stop people in their tracks, make them pay attention and get them talking.”
Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM, said: “Achieving our goal of male suicide prevention requires everybody to take a stand, and we’re thrilled that This Morning is taking a stand with us. CALM has been campaigning and providing support services for 11 years but, try as we might, it isn’t enough to tackle the enormous problem of male suicide.
“Project 84 is all about making the scale of the situation very clear to everyone who sees the sculptures, and we hope that by working with the families and friends of real men who have taken their lives, we can face the enormous issue of suicide together and strive for change.”
