New Text Service Launched to Get Roofers Talking about Mental Health

A NEW text service has been launched as part of a growing campaign to get roofers and other tradespeople to open up about their mental health over a cuppa.

The new service, launched by national charity Band of Builders, coincides with the return of the Big Brew – an industry-wide campaign led by the charity in a bid to shine a spotlight on the mental health crisis in construction.

New Text Service and Tea Scale

This year, Band of Builders has launched a text line for tradespeople, contractors and their families. Those who are struggling to open up in person can now text BOB to 85258 at any time for help.

Additionally, the charity has also newly launched the ‘Big Brew tea scale’ which will act as an icebreaker to start conversations where tradespeople can ask one another where they rank on the scale.

Last year’s Big Brew event saw more than 175 events held and the money raised funded a new, free construction industry counselling service for two years.

Peter Cape, the Big Brew lead at Band of Builders, said: “The campaign is proving to be a vital lifeline at a time when suicide rates in the sector were already at one per day before the COVID pandemic – according to ONS figures – and it’s widely accepted that these have worsened to closer to two per day.

“It’s fair to say that construction workers, like everyone else in the UK, are facing difficult times with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, so it’s more important than ever that they have somewhere to turn to if they need to talk – whether that’s in person or via text.”

There’s still time to register interest in hosting a Big Brew event, or you can join the conversation online by using the hashtag #GiveYourselfABreak.

>> Read more about the Big Brew campaign in the news