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Toolstation and On the Tools have joined forces for a series of podcasts created to support tradespeople’s mental health. Mental Health Under Construction, the bi-weekly six-part show, is hosted by mental health specialist and member of We Are Hummingbird, Ryan Ridgeway.
Ridgeway is joined by guests from the trades, mental health experts and celebrities including Paul Merson and former special forces soldier and star of SAS: Who Dares Wins, Ollie Ollerton, who share their own blend of insight and experiences and discuss a wide range of mental health conditions including anxiety disorders, depression, suicide and addiction.
The move comes as research commissioned by Toolstation found that 69% of those in the sector think looking after your mental health is very important and 33% say there should be more support available to them. When it comes to what can be done, 56% felt there could be more honest conversations around mental health, while 44% think there should be better access to professional help or treatment. 31% thought there should be better support at their place of work.
In the first episode, Ridgeway spoke with psychotherapist India Haylor and tradesperson Paddy to discuss the effects of anxiety disorders within the construction industry.
Greg Richardson, head of marketing at Toolstation, said: “We’re excited to have worked with the team at On the Tools on this very valuable partnership, and with Ryan Ridgeway and some incredible guests who provide listeners with valuable advice and insight each week. At Toolstation we have a long heritage of helping to equip tradespeople with the tools they need to look after their mental health and look forward to tuning in and we are glad that we can continue this work.”
Clare Harding, brand director for On the Tools, added: “Poor mental health in construction is unfortunately well documented, with high suicide rates across the industry. Teaming up with Toolstation to create the Mental Health Podcast was designed to encourage tradespeople to look out for one another, and talk, listen and share thoughts and feelings. With the help of Toolstation and some fantastic guests we’ve been able to cover a range of relevant topics in the podcast, all designed to make an impact and provoke relevant conversations on this important topic.”
