BARS and barbers across Ellesmere Port have joined a campaign to promote men's mental health to support the charity, Mentell. 

Jo Mellor, 56, helped set up the charity after losing her son to suicide in 2017 when he was just 26. 

Mentell provides free circles for men aged 18+ to talk (or just listen) in a safe and confidential space.

The charity has been commissioned by Cheshire West and Cheshire East NHS to raise awareness of men's mental health and suicide in the area. 

As part of raising awareness, mentell run a class every Monday over zoom from 7pm-9pm. The classes are strictly ran by men for men. 

Jo visited Ellesmere Port this week to spread the word and gets pubs and bars in the local area to sign up to the national campaign 'Turn your bar/barber blue' (TYBB). 

Once a month over 700 pubs and barbers across the UK will turn blue to support men's mental health. 

Mentell place blue beer mats on the pub tables with real-life quotes from various celebrities such as Prince Harry, Professor Green, Michelle Obama and Harry Kane.

Speaking to the Globe, Jo said: "40% of men that come to mentell come from a beer mat. 

"72% of men who commit suicide are not known to any mental health services before, but they do have a pint.

"Between these pubs and barbers we can catch those men. We don't wait until they come to us, we come to them." 

Here is a list of the places that have signed up to the campaign currently in Ellesmere Port:

  • The Cat 
  • Graces Arms
  • Horse & Jockey
  • Old Hall Farm
  • Groves Social Club
  • We Love Hair
  • Clippers 66
  • Straight Edge Barbers

Jo added: "I went into a barber and they told me about a guy they lost to suicide two weeks ago.

"Then I went across to a pub and they told me about a suicide around a month ago.

"It's actively out there and we've got to make a change."

For any support, please email Jo on community@mentell.org.uk or visit the Mentell website here.