Okehampton's Well-being Cafe has received a grant from South West Water, which will enable it to support around 7,500 men as part of an initiative to tackle male suicide in the area.

After 22 male suicides in just 19 months in Okehampton and surrounding areas, the community hub cafe is determined to help as many people as possible and hopes to provide as many local businesses and individuals with free resources containing information on mental health support and suicide prevention.

Gemma Partridge, the organiser of the Well-being Café, said: "The funding from South West Water's Neighbourhood Fund has allowed us to design and distribute physical resources which are going out to local companies to put up around their workplaces and being handed out directly within the community by ourselves. 

"We want to make sure that the men in our community know that seeking help isn't a sign of weakness but is instead a sign of strength."

The cafe has also received an extra £410 from Okehampton Rotary Club & £500 from Primary Care Network to print the resources.

The Well-being Café was set up in 2022 with the key aim of making Okehampton a suicide-safer community and providing an open space within the community to support those who may be struggling with their mental health.

Data collated by the mental health charity Samaritans revealed that in 2022, men were three times more likely to die by suicide than women in England.