EPISODE · Jun 22, 2026 · 1H 6M
Talk Club’s Gavin Thorpe – moving the dial on men’s mental health
from Bristol Unpacked · host The Bristol Cable
Talk Club, set up in a Bristol pub seven years ago, offers a space for men to get together and discuss their mental health. That’s something too few of us still do, as shown by the horrible statistic that in the UK, a man dies by suicide roughly every 90 minutes – the length of a football match.With this episode recorded during Men’s Health Week, and with the World Cup bringing many men together in a highly emotional state, it seemed an appropriate time to sit down with Gavin Thorpe, one of Talk Club’s two founders.The clubs have rapidly expanded, to 150 branches across the country. But with suicide still the biggest killer of UK men under 50, the need to talk remains urgent. Why are we men so reluctant to open up about what’s getting us down? Are Talk Club’s activities moving the needle? And do young men – far more in touch with emotions than their grandads – offer hope?Content warning – this episode, as you might have guessed, contains discussions of suicide and mental ill health. But it’s a great chat, and by no means all doom and gloom – hope you enjoy.The Bristol Cable is Bristol's community-owned cooperative newsroom – fiercely independent journalism that puts people before profit. Since 2014, we've been holding power to account through investigative reporting, community campaigns, and democratic media ownership. Because when journalism serves the community, not shareholders, real change becomes possible.Support independent journalism and help us bring more vital conversations to Bristol: become a Bristol Cable member.
What this episode covers
Talk Club, set up in a Bristol pub seven years ago, offers a space for men to get together and discuss their mental health. That’s something too few of us still do, as shown by the horrible statistic that in the UK, a man dies by suicide roughly every 90 minutes – the length of a football match.With this episode recorded during Men’s Health Week, and with the World Cup bringing many men together in a highly emotional state, it seemed an appropriate time to sit down with Gavin Thorpe, one of Talk Club’s two founders.The clubs have rapidly expanded, to 150 branches across the country. But with suicide still the biggest killer of UK men under 50, the need to talk remains urgent. Why are we men so reluctant to open up about what’s getting us down? Are Talk Club’s activities moving the needle? And do young men – far more in touch with emotions than their grandads – offer hope?Content warning – this episode, as you might have guessed, contains discussions of suicide and mental ill health. But it’s a great chat, and by no means all doom and gloom – hope you enjoy.The Bristol Cable is Bristol's community-owned cooperative newsroom – fiercely independent journalism that puts people before profit. Since 2014, we've been holding power to account through investigative reporting, community campaigns, and democratic media ownership. Because when journalism serves the community, not shareholders, real change becomes possible.Support independent journalism and help us bring more vital conversations to Bristol: become a Bristol Cable member.
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Talk Club’s Gavin Thorpe – moving the dial on men’s mental health
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