Somewhere House Somerset, a Burnham-on-Sea-based mental health charity, is using the film, Even Strong Men Seek Help, to promote conversations about men’s mental health and suicide prevention, alongside work to distribute 40,000 emergency mental health cards across Somerset.
The film follows two friends walking together around Bristol Water’s Cheddar Reservoir over the course of five days. Through a series of quiet, everyday conversations, it explores how difficult it can be to recognise when someone is struggling, particularly when they appear to be coping on the surface.
The film ends with one of the friends being handed a Somewhere House Somerset emergency card by a stranger on the path.
The charity produced and distributed 40,000 of its men’s mental health emergency cards across Somerset last year and has now received funding to produce and distribute a further 40,000.
Bristol Water supported the production by allowing the charity to film along the public perimeter path at Cheddar Reservoir, providing a distinctive Somerset setting for the film, as well as distributing emergency cards across its own teams in its head office.
The reservoir plays an important role in the story, with its scale, tranquillity and changing appearance helping to reflect the different conversations taking place between the two friends.
The film was produced non-commercially and will be made available for free through social media and the Somewhere House Somerset website, helping the charity reach as many people as possible with its message.
Mike Turner, Somewhere House Somerset Trustee, said: “Too many men are carrying things on their own and telling the people around them they’re fine. We wanted to make a film that felt real: no big drama, just two mates walking and talking, because that’s often where the hardest conversations finally happen.
“Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45, and behind that statistic are dads, sons, brothers and friends. If this film prompts one person to check in on a mate, or one man to pick up the phone and ask for help, it will have done its job.
“Our emergency cards are a simple way of making sure that when someone is ready to talk, they know exactly where to turn. We’re hugely grateful to Bristol Water for letting us film at Cheddar Reservoir and for getting behind the project, and to everyone who gave their time to make it happen.”
Richard Stanbrook, Bristol Water’s Director for Drinking Water, said: “Supporting the wellbeing of the communities we serve is an important part of our role and we’re pleased to have been able to support Somewhere House Somerset with this important project.
“Cheddar Reservoir is a much-loved local site and it is great to see it being used to support a message that has such relevance for communities across Somerset.
“We hope the film helps encourage more people to talk openly about their mental health and seek support when they need it.”
To view the Even Strong Men Seek Help video and find out more about the work of Somewhere House Somerset, visit https://somewherehousesomerset.org/ or view the video on YouTube.
