Campaign Against Living Miserably#Conversations Against Living Miserably

CALM was initially a Department of Health pilot project launched in late 1997 in Manchester with the help of Tony Wilson, and then rolled out to Merseyside in 2000.NHS Health Promotion/Campaign Against Living Miserably; Howes, Simon; {{cite web |url=http://www.lhps.org.uk/hp_calm.html |title=Health Promotion/CALM |access-date=2002-10-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20021005124212/http://www.lhps.org.uk/hp_calm.html |archive-date=5 October 2002 }}; Accessed on 17 March 2009 at 15:12 It was a helpline targeted specifically at young men who were unlikely to contact mainstream services and who were at greater risk of suicide.national service frameworks: Mental Health Modern Standards and Service Models; 1999; p. 31; http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4009598; Accessed on 3 March 2009 at 12:45 Jane Powell was commissioned to launch the project and ran it until 2000. When funding for the pilot project ceased in 2004/5, Powell relaunched the pilot as a registered charity in 2006,Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM); http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/menshealth/support_groups/006287.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009210716/http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/menshealth/support_groups/006287.htm |date=9 October 2008 }}; Accessed on 3 March 2009 at 14:05 working with some of the pilot's original commissioners and with Wilson as a founding trustee.

In 2015, rapper and singer-songwriter Professor Green was named as CALM's patron,{{cite web |url=http://dial2donate.org/professor-green-campaigns-against-living-miserably/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107002837/http://dial2donate.org/professor-green-campaigns-against-living-miserably/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=7 November 2017 |title=Professor Green campaigns against living miserably |publisher=Dial2Donate |access-date=19 August 2015}} and the campaign's trustees board includes health professionals and leading figures from the worlds of music, advertising, and management, as well as relatives of men who have taken their own lives. Robin Millar and David Baddiel are former patrons.

The campaign has brought in significant pro bono advertising support from agencies such as Ogilvy Advertising,Ogilvy appeals for CALM; Creative Review; 1 May 2002; http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25342629_ITM; Accessed on 3 March 2009 at 14:44 Tullo Marshall Warren,Charity Calm unveils hard-hitting assault; Precision Marketing; 15 December 2006; http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-29043498_ITM; Accessed on 3 March 2009 at 14:47 MTV, and Metro, and most recently{{when?|date=July 2023}} Topman and BMB. This has brought CALM a significant number of advertisements on billboards, on TV, on the London Underground and on radio.{{Cite web |url=http://www.liverpool-live.info/liverpool/calm-publish-book-looking-back-at-10-years-of-campaigning |title=CALM publish book looking back at 10 years of campaigning – Liverpool-Live |access-date=11 January 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804231849/http://www.liverpool-live.info/liverpool/calm-publish-book-looking-back-at-10-years-of-campaigning |archive-date=4 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}

In November 2018, CALM partnered with UKTV channel Dave to create a campaign called "Be The Mate You'd Want". This started with a 3-minute ad break, voiced by comedian James Acaster, encouraging the viewer to text, chat or tweet someone who needs support. It occurred again in July 2019, this time with a "comedy festival in an ad break" which featured comedians Ahir Shah, Alex Horne, Dane Baptiste, Darren Harriott, David Mumeni, Ed Gamble, Elf Lyons, Jamali Maddix, Jessie Cave, Lou Sanders, Maisie Adam, Natasia Demetriou, Phil Wang, Pierre Novelli, Sindhu Vee, Stevie Martin and Zoe Lyons, with Jessica Knappett providing intro and outro voiceover.

In 2018, the charity commissioned the artists Mark Jenkins and Sandra Fernandez to create Project84, an art installation in London.{{cite web|title=Harrowing sculptures appear on top of ITV buildings to raise awareness around male suicide |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/itv-male-suicide-awareness-sculptures-building-roof-mental-health-project-84-calm-a8274326.html |first1=Sabrina |last1=Barr |website=The Independent|location=London |access-date=27 March 2018 |date=26 March 2018}}{{cite web |title=Project 84: Charity CALM calls for action on male suicide |url=https://news.sky.com/story/project-84-charity-calm-calls-for-action-on-male-suicide-11305108 |first1=Sharon |last1=Marris |publisher=Sky News |access-date=27 March 2018 |date=27 March 2018}}{{cite web |title=Eighty four harrowing suicide statues appear on roof of ITV studio |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/eighty-four-statues-of-male-suicide-victims-appear-on-itvs-southbank-studios-in-striking-campaign-a3799271.html |website=Evening Standard|location=London |access-date=27 March 2018 |date=26 March 2018}} The work was sponsored by Harry's and designed to raise awareness of adult male suicide.

In May 2019, CALM announced a partnership with Dave for a podcast called Conversations Against Living Miserably hosted by Lauren Pattison and Aaron Gillies talking to comedians about their mental health.{{cite web|title=Dozens of comedians join a new CALM podcast with Dave|url=https://www.thecalmzone.net/2019/05/dozens-of-comedians-join-a-new-calm-podcast-with-dave|website=thecalmzone.net|access-date=10 June 2020}}

{{main|After Life (TV series)#Benches}}

In 2022, in collaboration with Netflix, a mental health initiative involved installing park benches around the UK, inspired by scenes from the TV series After Life, wherein Tony, played by Ricky Gervais, and Ann, played by Penelope Wilton held many conversations about mental health.{{cite web |url=https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/after-life-on-netflix-locations-of-all-25-dona |title= After Life on Netflix: Locations of donated 'Hope is Everything' benches around the UK |date=23 January 2022 |website=In Your Area }}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-60057551 |title=After Life benches inspired by Ricky Gervais show installed |date=20 January 2022 |first=Amy |last=Phipps |publisher=BBC}}

• Mental health in the United Kingdom
• Suicide in the United Kingdom

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Category:Non-profit organisations based in the United Kingdom

Category:Mental health organisations in the United Kingdom

Category:Suicide in the United Kingdom

Category:Organizations established in 2006

Category:2006 establishments in the United Kingdom