Local Solutions, National Crisis: New Insights on Men’s Mental Health from the North East

In this special episode for Mental Health Awareness Week, host Jade Hunter is joined by Professor John Tomaney, Dr. Dimitrios Panayotopoulos-Tsiros, and James Fildes, founder of Space North East. Together, they explore a growing public health crisis: rising rates of male suicide in the UK, particularly in post-industrial regions like the North East. This conversation examines how non-clinical, community-led interventions are filling critical gaps in mental health support for working-class men in the North East of England. Drawing on lived experience, academic research, and grassroots activism, this episode highlights the importance of belonging, place-based identity, and social infrastructure in men’s mental wellbeing. Featured in this episode: Host: Jade Hunter – Coordinator, UCL’s Grand Challenge of Mental Health & Wellbeing With special thanks to our guests: Professor John Tomaney – UCL Bartlett School of Planning, Pro-Provost for Regional Communities Dr. Dimitrios Panayotopoulos-Tsiros – Research Associate and Honorary Research Fellow, UCL James Fildes – Founder and Managing Director, Space North East Resources: Learn more about UCL Grand Challenges https://www.ucl.ac.uk/grand-challenges/ Visit Space North East https://spacenortheast.org/ Read about the project’s progress and future outputs via the Grand Challenges Mental Health and Wellbeing page https://www.ucl.ac.uk/grand-challenges/themes/mental-health-wellbeing