11 men a day.
That’s how many men die by suicide every day in the UK.
It’s a statistic that continues to highlight the growing importance of men’s mental health awareness and the urgent need for more accessible support networks, safe spaces and open conversations across the country.
Behind every statistic is a person, a family, a friend, a colleague and a community affected by loss. Yet despite growing awareness around mental health, many men across the UK still struggle to speak openly about how they are feeling or seek support early enough.
According to national mental health data, around 75% of suicides in the UK are male, while suicide remains the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50. Financial pressure, isolation, relationship breakdowns, loneliness, stigma and the pressure many men feel to simply “keep going” all continue to contribute to the growing mental health crisis facing men across the UK.
Founded by Jeff Moritz, Heads Up Gentlemen is a Salford-based men’s mental health charity focused on creating safe, judgement-free spaces where men can talk openly, connect with others and access support before reaching crisis point.
Through community-led sessions, peer support groups, wellbeing initiatives and local outreach, the charity has helped encourage conversations that many men may never otherwise have. The organisation has quickly become an important support network for men across Salford and Greater Manchester, helping break down stigma surrounding mental health and reminding people that they are not alone.
Recognising the importance of the work the charity continues to do across Manchester, Knight Knox was proud to partner with Heads Up Gentlemen to help raise awareness around men’s mental health and support the organisation’s ongoing efforts within the local community.
As part of the partnership, Knight Knox hosted Mindful Miles on Wednesday 13th May 2026 – a charity awareness walk designed to bring together local businesses, supporters and members of the community for a day focused on awareness, conversation and support.
The event was delivered in collaboration with Heads Up Gentlemen and Beat The Streets, which is a free, fun initiative that transforms Salford into one giant interactive game as part of the Mindful Miles Challenge. Using special Beat Boxes placed across the city, participants can walk, wheel, run, or cycle to collect points, explore their community, and stay active together.
This is the first Mindful Miles event organised by Beat the Street following a successful Salford game in 2025.
Sophie de Greenlaw commented. “Last year the residents of Salford loved playing Beat the Street over six weeks so we decided to bring it back for Mental Health Awareness week in 2026, this time focusing on community, support and workplace groups. We wanted to encourage people to get out walking and talking as a team, offering a chance to open up and chat while taking part in group walks. The value of community and movement for mental health can not be underestimated so Mindful Miles gives teams the chance to connect with their friends, family and colleagues while exploring the wonderful city of Salford, with a little bit of friendly competition thrown in!”
The walk itself lasted 100 minutes in recognition of 100 years of Salford and took place around MediaCity, one of the city’s most recognisable waterfront destinations.
Participants met at 10:30am in the reception area at Knight Knox HQ before heading across to the Imperial War Museum North, where the walk officially began.
The event was designed not only to raise awareness, but also to encourage conversation. Mental health challenges can often feel isolating, particularly for men who may feel pressure to deal with problems privately. Events like this help create an environment where conversations feel more normal, more open and far less intimidating.
Partnerships between businesses and charities play a hugely important role in driving awareness forward. By working together, organisations can help create meaningful change within their communities and contribute towards reducing the stigma that still exists around mental health today.
For Knight Knox, supporting initiatives like this goes beyond simply sponsoring an event. It reflects the importance of supporting causes that genuinely make a difference to people’s lives.
Jeff Moritz, CEO of Heads Up Gentlemen, has continued to work tirelessly to build a stronger support network for men across the region, helping individuals realise that asking for help is not weakness and that nobody should feel they have to struggle in silence. Jeff commented “First and foremost, I just want to thank Knight Knox for believing in what we’re doing here at Heads Up Gentlemen and for recognising how important men’s mental health support truly is within our communities.
Too many men still suffer in silence. Every single week we speak to men battling isolation, anxiety, depression, addiction, grief and suicidal thoughts, men who often feel they have nowhere to turn and nobody they can speak openly to without judgement. That’s why creating safe spaces and genuine human connection is so important.
Mindful Miles was about far more than just a walk. It was about bringing people together, encouraging conversations, breaking stigma and reminding people that no one has to face things alone. Seeing businesses, organisations and members of the community walking side by side for mental health awareness was incredibly powerful.
We’re extremely grateful to Knight Knox for their support, belief and commitment to helping us continue this work across Salford and Greater Manchester. Partnerships like this genuinely help grassroots organisations like ours reach more people, create more opportunities for support and ultimately help save lives.
If sharing our story encourages even one man to speak up, reach out or realise there is support available, then events like this have already made a difference.”
Also commenting on the charity partnership, Samantha Jones, Marketing Director at Knight Knox, said:
“The simple act of talking to someone to help share the mental load is something many of us take for granted, and this is where Jeff and his team are making a real difference here on the ground in Salford. I was incredibly proud to take part in the Mindful Miles event and proud that our support is helping Heads Up Gentlemen continue the incredibly important work they do within the community.”
Together, we hope to continue encouraging conversations around mental health, raising awareness and reminding people that support is always available.
If anyone would like to reach out to Jeff directly, please contact: [email protected]
Lucy is the Marketing Manager at Knight Knox, bringing more than 15 years of experience across sales and marketing. Having worked with global brands, she combines commercial awareness with clear, effective communication to ensure marketing activity supports both brand growth and investor engagement.
At Knight Knox, Lucy focuses on developing integrated marketing strategies that connect digital channels, strengthen brand positioning and support the long-term growth of the investor community. Her approach centres on making property investment easier to understand and more accessible, creating marketing that informs, builds trust and supports investors at every stage of their journey.
