A NEW charity has launched in Scotland to try and combat the biggest killer of men under the age of 45: suicide.

Brothers in Arms is Scotland’s first men's mental health charity, and is a 21st century charity for the 21st century man – in all his different forms.

Earlier this month friends Campbell Nelson, from Clydebank, and Keiran Woods, from Giffnock, organised a fund-raiser in support of the charity at Glasgow’s upmarket Corinthian Club. 

Comics Matt Watson, Anton Ayton, Ronnie Black and Irish comedian Micky Bartlett entertained the guests at the bash, where more than £6,000 was raised.

The charity’s main aim is “offering support to men in Scotland, of any age, who are down or in crisis and empower them to ask for help when they need it, without feeling a failure if they do”.

And the man behind Brothers In Arms, Daniel Proverbs, hopes to try and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health problems, which too often lead to suicide. Daniel was moved to set up the charity after his own battles with poor mental health and suicidal thoughts, which led to him planning his own death.

But he was saved from suicide by the news he was due to become a father, and now hopes to try and save others from taking their own lives.

Daniel said: “The stats speak for themselves – 76 per cent of suicides in the UK are carried out by males, and it is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45.

“We want people to realise that it’s okay to not be okay, and that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with reaching out for help.

“We are there for every type of man there is in 21st century society.

“If we can save just one life through this, it will be worth it.”

There are apps on the charity’s website – www.brothersinarmsscotland.co.uk – that the charity says help to “prevent, detect and treat common mental health problems”.

And the apps can be disguised as games so that users can store them on their phone or tablet without it being obvious to others.

And he said the charity is there for every 21st century man who needs it - whether it is a gay or heterosexual man, someone who was born a man and is struggling with their gender identity, or someone born a woman who identifies as a man.