When construction workers open up about their mental health, it’s rarely in a training room or via a poster. It’s in a break room. On a muddy step. Over a brew. It happens when something clicks — when trust enters the room. That’s why Mindflow starts with a conversation.
From the pitch to the site
Mindflow founder and CEO Trevor Steven has spent the last 18 months on construction sites across the UK, speaking to over 1,400 workers — and the findings were sobering.
- More than half had experienced mental health issues.
- One in eight had considered suicide.
- Most had never received a formal diagnosis.
But there was something else. A clear spark that helped break the silence: football.
In construction, that connection is often football. Both industries are working-class environments with shared pressures: long hours, high expectations, and little room to talk about mental health. But while football has made huge strides in breaking the stigma, construction has lagged behind.
As Trevor puts it: “I left one macho environment and entered another. In football, players now speak out. Structures are in place. In construction, we need that same shift.”
The role of football and Mindflow
The Mindflow Talk Football Talk Mental Match-Ups bring former footballers onto live construction sites. Not as guest speakers — but as equals, to start a conversation.
Starting that conversation matters. Because 67% of construction workers are football fans.
And 58% say they’d be more likely to seek help if it came from their club.
The trust, anonymity and non-judgement that football brings? That’s the spark.
One worker told us: “I’m not a football fan — but seeing someone open up in front of the lads made it feel OK to talk.”
Construction has seen plenty of passive mental health efforts.
But the crisis continues: two suicides a day. Thousands more in silence.
This is why Mindflow is here - to join the dots between football, mental health and construction. Find out more about Mindflow, our approach and more in the video below.
