Friends suicide awareness walk to get men talking
Harry McCabeA group of friends who lost one of their own to suicide are taking part in a sponsored walk to get men talking.
Harry McCabe, 20, and his brother Jack, 23, from Stockton-on-Tees, will be joined by friends and colleagues for the 11.6 mile (19km) coastal walk from Robin Hood's Bay to Whitby and back on 4 January.
As well as raising money for Durham-based men's mental health support hub Checkmate, Mr McCabe said they wanted men to know they were "not alone".
"It's OK to talk because unfortunately people don't and [suicide] can happen when you keep things bottled up," he said.
The dog rehoming assistant said he met the friend he lost at the kennel where they both worked.
'Prefer chat to funeral'
"It's taken its toll on everyone," Mr McCabe said, adding the pair had been "really close" and played football together.
"It's knocked a lot of the lads we played football with," he said.
- If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can find advice here.
Mr McCabe said he had lost friends to accidents or illnesses but his friend's death in December was "a little bit harder".
"He was one of those people you would have never expected it from," he said.
Ahead of his friend's funeral in the new year, Mr McCabe said: "I would rather have a chat with you and help instead of receiving that heartbreaking call and attending your funeral."
According to the Office of National Statistics, the North East had the highest rate for suicide deaths registered in 2024 in England.
Across England and Wales, the suicide rate for men in 2024 was 17.6 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people and 5.7 for women.
