Real People, Real Stories funders toolkit

Suggested LinkedIn post 01

When life gets tough, @Samaritans is there to listen. That’s why we’re proud to share the charity’s campaign to encourage men in rural communities to talk about how about they’re feeling, and seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

Visit https://bit.ly/3rURWEU to find out more.

#RealPeopleRealStories

Suggested asset: Michael 1_the bravest thing_landscape or Michael – The bravest thing you will ever do video landscape: https://bit.ly/3gTfTX5

Suggested LinkedIn post 02

We’re sharing our charity partner @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories campaign which encourages men in rural areas to speak up about how they’re feeling.

You don’t need to struggle alone 💚 https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Michael 1_the bravest thing_landscape or Michael – The bravest thing you will ever do video landscape: https://bit.ly/3gTfTX5

Suggested LinkedIn post 03

Genuine human connection can help people find ways to cope and get through difficult times in their lives.

That’s why we’re promoting @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories campaign which shares stories of recovery to encourage men in rural areas to seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

Stories from people like Sam, who’s sharing his experience with mental health, the farming community and reaching out for help.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Sam 2_It’s never too late to talk_Landscape or Sam – It's never too late to talk video landscape: https://bit.ly/3GTxNmY

Suggested LinkedIn post 04

We're proud to support @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories campaign 💚

Men in rural areas are less likely than men in urban areas to talk to someone about their mental health. That’s why Real People, Real Stories is encouraging men to open up and seek help if they’re struggling to cope by sharing stories of recovery.

Genuine human connection really can help people find ways to cope and get through difficult times in their lives. Find out more: https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Survey Asset 1_Landscape

Suggested LinkedIn post 05

Men living in rural areas are less likely to seek help if they’re struggling to cope due to stigma around mental health, not knowing who to turn to and lack of awareness of the support available.

That’s why @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories campaign aims to encourage men to talk about how they’re feeling, to help prevent them from reaching crisis point, by sharing real stories of recovery.

You don’t need to struggle alone 💚

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Survey asset 2_Landscape or Survey asset 3_Landscape


Suggested LinkedIn post 06

We’re proud to share @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories campaign, encouraging men in rural areas to talk about how they’re feeling. Here, Nigel Owens, Samaritans supporter, farmer and former International Rugby Union Referee, opens up about the importance of seeking help: https://bit.ly/3qoUeuK

Suggested Asset: Nigel Owens_Landscape 1 or 2


Suggested LinkedIn post 07

Nigel Owens, Samaritans supporter, farmer and former International Rugby Union Referee, has opened up about the importance of seeking help as part of @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories

We’re proud to share the charity’s important campaign, which features stories of recovery to encourage men in rural areas to seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3qoUeuK

Suggested Asset: Nigel Owens_Landscape 1 or 2

Suggested Tweet 01

We’re proud to share our charity partner @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories campaign which encourages men in rural communities to talk about how they’re feeling.

You don’t need to struggle alone 💚 https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Michael 1_the bravest thing_landscape or Michael – The bravest thing you will ever do video landscape: https://bit.ly/3gTfTX5

Suggested Tweet 02

When life gets tough, @Samaritans is there to listen. That’s why we’re promoting the charity’s campaign to encourage men in rural communities to talk about how about they’re feeling, and seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

Visit https://bit.ly/3rURWEU to find out more.

#RealPeopleRealStories

Suggested asset: Michael 1_the bravest thing_landscape or Michael – The bravest thing you will ever do video landscape: https://bit.ly/3gTfTX5

Suggested Tweet 03

Men living in rural areas are less likely to seek help if they’re struggling to cope. That’s why @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories campaign shares stories of recovery to encourage men to seek help if they’re struggling.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Survey asset 1_Landscape


Suggested Tweet 04

We’re proud to share @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories campaign, encouraging men in rural areas to talk about how they’re feeling. Here, Nigel Owens, Samaritans supporter, farmer and former International Rugby Union Referee, opens up about the importance of seeking help: https://bit.ly/3qoUeuK

Suggested Asset: Nigel Owens_Landscape 1 or 2


Suggested Tweet 05

Nigel Owens, Samaritans supporter, farmer and former International Rugby Union Referee, has opened up about the importance of seeking help as part of @Samaritans #RealPeopleRealStories

We’re proud to share the charity’s important campaign, which features stories of recovery to encourage men in rural areas to seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3qoUeuK

Suggested Asset: Nigel Owens_Landscape 1 or 2

Suggested Facebook/Instagram post 01

When life gets tough, @samaritanscharity is there to listen. That’s why we’re promoting the charity’s campaign to encourage men in rural communities to talk about how about they’re feeling, and seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

Visit https://bit.ly/3rURWEU to find out more.

#RealPeopleRealStories

Suggested asset: Michael 1_the bravest thing_square or Michael – The bravest thing you will ever do video square: https://bit.ly/3gRTauq

Suggested Facebook/Instagram post 02

We’re proud to share our charity partner @samaritanscharity #RealPeopleRealStories campaign which encourages men in rural areas to talk about how they’re feeling.

You don’t need to struggle alone 💚 https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Michael 1_the bravest thing_square or Michael – The bravest thing you will ever do video square: https://bit.ly/3gRTauq

Suggested Facebook/Instagram post 03

Genuine human connection can help people find ways to get through difficult times in their lives.

That’s why we’re proud to promote @samaritanscharity #RealPeopleRealStories campaign, which shares stories of recovery to encourage men in rural areas to seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

Stories from people like Sam, who’s sharing his experience with mental health, the farming community and reaching out for help.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Sam 2_it's never too late to talk_square or Sam – It's never too late to talk video square: https://bit.ly/33yvAzO

Suggested Facebook/Instagram post 04

We're proud to share @samaritanscharity #RealPeopleRealStories campaign 💚

Men in rural areas are less likely to talk to someone about their mental health. That’s why Real People, Real Stories is encouraging men to open up and seek help if they’re struggling to cope by sharing stories of recovery.

Genuine human connection really can help people find ways to get through difficult times in their lives.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Survey Asset 1_Square

Suggested Facebook/Instagram post 05

Men living in rural areas are less likely to seek help if they’re struggling to cope due to stigma around mental health, not knowing who to turn to and lack of awareness of the support available.

That’s why @samaritanschairty #RealPeopleRealStories campaign aims to encourage men to talk about how they’re feeling, to help prevent them from reaching crisis point, by sharing  stories of recovery.

You don’t need to struggle alone 💚

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3rURWEU

Suggested asset: Survey asset 2_Square or Survey asset 3_Square


Suggested Facebook/Instagram post 06

We’re proud to share @samaritanscharity #RealPeopleRealStories campaign, encouraging men in rural areas to talk about how they’re feeling. Here, Nigel Owens, Samaritans supporter, farmer and former International Rugby Union Referee, opens up about the importance of seeking help: https://bit.ly/3qoUeuK

Suggested Asset: Nigel Owens_Square 1 or2


Suggested Facebook/Instagram post 07

Nigel Owens, Samaritans supporter, farmer and former International Rugby Union Referee, has opened up about the importance of seeking help as part of @samaritanscharity #RealPeopleRealStories

We’re proud to share the charity’s important campaign, which features stories of recovery to encourage men in rural areas to seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3qoUeuK

Suggested Asset: Nigel Owens_Square 1 or2

Dear XXX

We’re proud to help promote Samaritans Real People, Real Stories campaign which launches on 1 March 2022.

This phase of the charity’s award-winning campaign is about men sharing how they have successfully overcome tough times to encourage others to seek help by calling Samaritans for free on 116 123 – day or night, 365 days a year –or visiting samaritans.org for online self-help tools and information.

Supported by The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust and the Scottish Government, its aim is to encourage help seeking behaviour amongst men who live in rural communities.

Samaritans know that genuine human connection can help people find ways to cope, that’s why, as part of the campaign, the charity is sharing handwritten words and real stories.

Harry, a 22 year old shepherd from Derbyshire, is one of six men who’s sharing his story. As a young famer, he found that a simple chat with mates about how you really feel can make a huge difference. Read more here.

“My advice to anyone else struggling with their mental health would be to find someone you trust to talk to.”

You can find out more about the campaign on Samaritan’s website.

Together we can make a change which save lives.

Samaritans is there day or night, for anyone who’s struggling to cope, who needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure. If you’re struggling, you can contact Samaritans any time of the day or night by phoning 116 123 or emailing [email protected]

Yours sincerely

XXX

Proudly sharing Samaritans' Real People, Real Stories campaign 

We’re proud to be sharing phase three of Samaritans’ award-winning Real People, Real Stories campaign which aims to reach men in rural communities and encourage them to seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

A new Samaritans survey discovered that men in rural areas (43%) are less likely than men in urban areas (51%) to reach out for support or talk to someone if they are struggling with their mental health.  Women living in rural areas are also much more likely than men to seek help with 60%, saying they would talk to someone if they were struggling.

In fact, two thirds of men living in rural areas (66%) also said there are a variety of factors that would stop them reaching out for support even if they were struggling. Samaritans discovered the top three barriers are stigma around mental health (18%), not knowing who to turn to (15%) and lack of awareness of support available (15%).

Evidence also suggests that suicide rates are higher in rural areas compared to urban areas. Rural-based occupations, such as those in agriculture, have also been shown to have an increased risk of suicide. That’s why the UK’s leading suicide prevention charity is raising awareness amongst men in these environments to let them know they do not need to face things alone.

Michael Brown, from North Yorkshire, grew up on a farm and has gone on to run his own agricultural business. After he attempted to take his own life, Michael’s community rallied round him and he realised he was not as alone as he had imagined. He now dedicates time to tackling mental health stigma in rural communities by visiting local groups and speaking to male farmers about the importance of talking to someone before reaching crisis point.

Michael said: “Up until my suicide attempt, I didn’t think I had any problems. It’s only after getting the help I should have sought before that it became apparent that I was in a really dark and lonely place. The rural community is fantastic but there is isolation and remoteness - you don’t see anybody new, you don’t get to know what’s going on and that’s difficult because you’re not coming across people to talk to. I’ve learnt how important it really is to talk.

“I think it’s naturally harder for men to open up, particularly men in rural communities, where there is still stigma around talking about mental health. That’s why I go out and speak to men about my experience and encourage them to talk early on if they are struggling.

“Finally opening up was the start of the flood gates opening. Up to that point, everything in my head was going round so fast. As soon as you talk to somebody, your problems half. Straight away, you’ve opened up, your problem is not yours anymore, you’ve shared it with somebody. That makes life so much easier, and it makes it easier to go get additional help if you need it. It was a long, hard journey but we got through it and we go forward each day.”

This year’s Real People, Real Stories campaign, supported by the Scottish Government and The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust, aims to encourage this harder to reach group to talk to someone about how they are feeling when they are struggling to cope, before reaching crisis point. As real people with positive stories of recovery and hope have been found to be extremely powerful in supporting others who are struggling, Samaritans is sharing experiences from men with rural backgrounds who have overcome tough times to demonstrate the power that human connection and being heard can have.

Paul McDonald, Executive Director of External Affairs at Samaritans, commented: 

“Samaritans is here for anyone struggling to cope, no matter who you are or where you are.

Mental health challenges and suicide are complex, going beyond where you live or your profession, but these can be factors. The increased risk for those living in rural and agricultural settings due to poor access to services, isolation and persistent loneliness mean it’s essential we do more to reach people in these environments.

“We hope this new Real People, Real Stories campaign will raise awareness of the support that’s out there and encourage more people to seek help early on, so we can continue the drive to reduce suicide rates across the UK.”

You can find out more about the campaign on Samaritans’ website: https://www.samaritans.org/rprs-rural

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