Onward Shift, London (2026)

30/03/2026

We keep telling men to “man up” and then we wonder why so many suffer in silence.

This conversation with Dr Susie Bennett forced me to look at that properly because male su***de isn’t just about individuals, it’s about culture. Years of research, real conversations and real patterns all point to the same thing.

One idea that really stuck with me was the “pain tank”

Every bit of pressure, every unspoken emotion, every time a man tells himself to just get on with it, it all builds up and when there’s no outlet, no language and no space to process it, it overflows. Not because men are weak but because they’ve been taught to carry everything alone.

We talk a lot about masculinity but maybe the real question is this. Are we defining strength in a way that’s actually damaging men?

Because telling someone to stay silent, suppress emotion and just handle it isn’t strength. It’s pressure and pressure, over time, has consequences.

This episode doesn’t sugar-coat anything. It challenges how we think about masculinity, connection and what men actually need. Not fixing, not judging, just somewhere safe to process what they’re carrying.

You can listen to the full episode here
✅ Youtube - https://youtube.com/?si=lpLNnGyBwHXHnaoT
✅ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5NzxwcxhsNAXilpiortnZf?si=0c6dfffa248e416b
✅ Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/onward-shift-podcast-mental-health-in-construction/id1751600386

And if you prefer to read then there is a blog on the conversation here: https://onwardshift.com/the-truth-about-male-su***de-that-were-missing/

***de

27/03/2026

2 days. 3 talks. Over 300 people in the room.

This week I had the pleasure of speaking at New City College about mental health, suicidal thoughts and the construction industry through my own personal journey and the feedback I received was truly incredible.

“Vish was a really inspiring and thought-provoking speaker” - Siobhan Markwell

“Vish is the best mental health speaker I have ever heard” - Stephen Brayshaw

But the best feedback came from the audience. There was silence, full engagement, so many incredible questions asked and some even stayed back to shake my hand to say thank you because they thought they were going through it alone.

I feel incredibly humbled from this experience and extremely thankful for the opportunity to have shared my story.

If you’re looking for a speaker who opens conversations in the room, feel free to reach out - [email protected]

26/03/2026

I truly believe that movements aren’t something that happen when the conversations only stay in the same circle. I feel a movement happens when people from the outside look in and say, yes I understand the problem and I want to be part of the solution!

Thats exactly the mentality I have for Onward Shift.

People in the industry have heard the stats:
94% struggle with stress
83% struggle with anxiety
60% struggle with depression
27% have suicidal thoughts
And in the UK, we lose 2 construction workers to su***de every working day 💔

But here’s the real question…

Does your neighbour know?
Does your local shop owner know?
Do the people closest to you actually understand what’s happening in our industry?

Because if they don’t, the conversation is still far too small.

When I talk about mental health in construction, I don’t just talk to construction workers. I talk to anyone who will listen because the truth is we need all the support we can get and that’s how movements start. That’s how change actually happens!

For those who are already part of this, who believe in the change this industry so desperately needs I’m so grateful to you because without you, things would move a hell of a lot slower!

25/03/2026

Yesterday was an awesome day!

I had the pleasure of speaking at New City College for there mental health awareness day at the Hackney Campus in London and what an absolutely fantastic day it was!!!

I was hired specifically to do a speech for the construction students and what was expected to be a 50 person turnout become one which more than 130 students chose to attend, the room was packed from corner to corner.

I spoke about my personal journey with mental health from anxiety, suicidal thoughts, neurodiversity and the challenges men face asking for help but also the positive impact that can be made when they actually get the help.

I also spoke openly about the mental health crisis construction is in, not to scare them away but to be honest with them. They are the future of construction and it's so important to teach them the difference between positive and toxic culture because what we teach them today will be passed on for generations to come.

My proudest moment was the Q&A where so many students plucked up the courage and asked questions from the heart. It was amazing to see how many young people were engaged with the conversation and wanted to learn more.

Kudos to New City College for thinking of construction specifically, thank you for putting an industry most leave behind at the forefront of the conversation. The fact the room was silent and no phones were out just shows how impactful mental health conversations are. I can't wait for the next two talks booked in at Rainham and Epping Forest campus. Let's do this!

***de

05/03/2026

“Man Up” has been a phrase used in construction for years.
But what if the message we actually need is: “Speak Up.”

I want to help change the way we look at mental health in construction. Sometimes the same message lands differently when it’s delivered in a new way.

For years the industry has heard “Man Up.”
But what if instead we encouraged people to Speak Up.

That’s the thinking behind this new Onward Shift poster. The message recognises the resilience of construction workers while reminding them that speaking up is strength, not weakness!

If you think this poster would be useful on your site, feel free to download it for free using the link below. It’s available in A3 and A4, ready to print and use.

It’s time we changed how we talk about mental health in construction.

Download your free poster here: https://onwardshift.com/construction-mental-health-poster/

26/05/2025

🎙️ Onward Shift Podcast Alert!

Our podcast is a space where we have unfiltered, honest conversations with amazing guests from the construction industry. Each episode is packed with powerful stories, covering the real challenges many face, from life-changing accidents to the emotional toll on families, mental health struggles, addiction, therapy and the financial pressures that weigh on us all.

We dive into the tough topics that often get brushed aside and explore how these issues impact not just the individuals but their families and teams. We also take a deep look into the struggles and breakthroughs from the wives' perspective, showing the ripple effects of what happens on-site and how it can shape every part of life.

These conversations are raw, vulnerable, over 18 and essential. Our goal is to break down the silence around mental health, bring awareness and remind everyone that it’s okay to not be okay and more importantly, it’s okay to ask for help!

🎧 Over 2,850 listens and counting! Make sure to check out the latest episodes. Link to the podcast is in our bio!

19/05/2025

Hope, Built Brick by Brick

Six months ago, I stood on-site wondering how much longer I could keep it together.
The pressure. The silence.
The weight no one sees behind the high-vis and hard hats.

But something changed.
Not all at once.
In small, brave moments.

It started with Jamie. Solid. Steady.
Until the day he froze on a beam.
Mark asked, “You alright, mate?”
And that one question cracked something open.

Then Layla.
The only woman on-site for years.
Watched. Judged.
Until someone sat beside her in the rain and said, “You’re not alone.”

Ryan whispered his truth:
“I’m gay… and I’m scared.”
He expected judgment.
He got support.

Mark, our foreman unshakeable burned out.
He admitted it.
We stepped up.
When he came back, he led differently.
With honesty. With heart.

Connor always laughing confessed he was drinking just to function.
We didn’t pity him.
We stood by him.
Now he’s five months sober still cracking jokes, but this time, for real.

Tom finally spoke up.
Debt. Anxiety. Nights without heat.
We couldn’t fix it all.
But we stood beside him.
And that made all the difference.

Dwayne quiet, skilled, overlooked finally said,
“I’m tired of being polite to injustice.”
We listened.
And we started to change.

Every one of them brought something:
Courage. Truth. Vulnerability.

And from that…
We built more than walls.

We built community.

This site?
It’s not perfect.
But it’s kinder. Stronger. Real.

Because hope doesn’t crash in.
It builds.

Quietly.
Day by day.
Brick by brick.

And this?
This is just the PROUD beginning.

18/05/2025

The Unseen Weight

Dwayne always kept his head down.
Hard worker. Friendly smile.
First to help. Last to complain.

But there was something else there.
Something heavier. Something quieter.
A weight most of us never saw.

“I’m used to it,” he told me one evening when the site had gone still.
“Used to people expecting more from me. To work harder. Prove myself. Be perfect… just to be equal.”

His work was flawless.
But when it came to decisions, his ideas got skipped.
When the jokes flew, they sometimes cut deeper than we realised.

No shouting.
No outright slurs.
Just subtle digs.
Interrupted thoughts.
Being left out without it looking like it.

“You know,” he said, eyes tired, “I just want to be seen like everyone else. Just good at my job.”

That hit different.

Because we’d been quiet.
Too quiet.

We hadn’t stepped in when his voice got talked over.
We hadn’t backed him up when someone crossed the line.
We hadn’t seen him not really.

So we started.
Not with speeches.
With actions.

We gave credit where it was due.
We listened when he spoke.
We called out the small stuff the stuff that stacks up.

And slowly, something changed.

Dwayne started walking taller.
He smiled more.
You could feel the shift.

By the end of the month, he was leading his own crew.
Not as a token but because of who he was and what he brought.

“I can breathe now,” he told me, smiling.
“It’s not perfect. But it’s a start.”

Equality isn’t just about policies.
It’s about showing up.
Listening.
Backing your mates.
Sharing the load.

17/05/2025

Hidden Costs

Tom was the one who always cracked a joke.
Lifted the mood.
Kept things light, no matter how heavy the job got.

But behind that grin?
He was drowning.

“It wasn’t the work,” he told me one afternoon.
“It was the bills. The debt. The constant fear every time my phone rang.”

He never showed it.
Always laughing, always the funny one.
But inside? He was losing sleep. Losing focus.
Feeling like he was losing himself.

“I didn’t want to be that guy,” he said quietly.
“Didn’t want anyone thinking I couldn’t handle my life.”

So he smiled through the stress.
Joked through the panic.
But day by day, it was eating him alive.

Then one day, Mark noticed.

“You alright, mate?” he asked, simple as that.

Tom paused. Then opened up.

The rent. The debt. The fear. The shame.
All of it came pouring out.

“I thought I was holding it together,” he said.
“But I was barely standing.”

That was the turning point.
Not a big moment. Just a real one.

“You don’t have to face this alone,” Mark told him.

And from that?
Tom found a financial advisor.
Started making a plan.
Piece by piece, he began to rebuild.

It wasn’t easy.
But it was honest.
And it changed everything.

“I thought asking for help meant I’d failed,” he said.
“But it’s the bravest thing I’ve ever done.”

Behind every smile could be someone carrying more than you know. Ask. Listen. Stand by them.

16/05/2025

Mates That Catch You

Funny how things shift when you start paying attention.

After Mark stepped back…
Jamie spoke up,
Layla was heard,
Ryan stopped hiding

Something changed on site.
It wasn’t just about getting the job done anymore.
It was about making sure we were all okay while doing it.

Then one day, Connor our joker, the one who always had a laugh dropped this:

“I used to drink before work,” he said.
“Just enough to stop the shakes. Enough to feel normal.”

We were stunned.
Connor wasn’t just funny he was light.
The mood-lifter. The laugh in the dark.

But behind the jokes?
He was struggling. Hard.

“I didn’t think I had a problem,” he said.
“I just didn’t know how to ask for help.”

We didn’t flinch.
Didn’t make it awkward.
Didn’t throw pity his way.

We just listened.

Then we told him, simple as this:
“If you want help, we’ve got you.”

That was it.

No grand fix. No speeches.
Just mates saying: you don’t have to carry this alone.

We helped him get support.
A therapist. A plan.
And we walked with him step by step.

When Connor came back a month later, sober and steady,
He was still our guy. Still funny. Still full of life.

But the laugh?
This time, it was real.

“I thought the hardest part was giving up the booze,” he said.
“But it was believing I was worth the fight.”

Everyone’s carrying something. You don’t need to fix it. Just don’t let them carry it alone.

15/05/2025

The Foreman Who Fell

Mark was the backbone of the crew.
The foreman. The fixer. The guy who always had the answers.

Deadlines? Sorted.
Pressure? Handled.
Stress? Buried deep.

He held us all together until he couldn’t.

It started slow… then it hit all at once.

One Friday morning, I found him in the site office.
Head in hands. Shoulders heavy. Paperwork piled like bricks on his desk.

“Mark?” I asked quietly.
“You alright, mate?”

Long pause.
Then a sigh.

“I don’t know if I can keep doing this, mate.”

That landed hard.
Mark the guy we all leaned on was at breaking point.

If he could fall apart, what did that say for the rest of us?

No speeches. No big moments.
Just a quiet decision: we had his back.

We stepped up.
Called the clients. Cleared his desk. Took the weight without asking.

Because sometimes, when someone’s carrying too much,
you don’t wait for permission.
You just show up.

He took a week off.

Came back different.
Not weaker wiser.

He shared everything. The crushing pressure. The burnout.
The fear that if he cracked, the whole crew would too.

“I thought asking for help was weakness,” he said.
“But it’s the strongest thing I’ve ever done.”

Now, every Monday, toolbox talks start with the same line:

“Look after your tools. Look after your mates. And most of all… look after yourself.”

That moment changed us.
We started really checking in.
Not just about work but about life. About what matters.

Because even the strongest need a hand sometimes.
And no one should have to break just to be seen.

Leadership isn’t being unbreakable it’s knowing when to lean, and when to lift.

14/05/2025

Hiding in Plain Sight

Ryan was solid.
Quiet. Focused. Reliable.
The kind of guy you’d trust with any job.

But underneath?
It was like he was holding his breath all day, every day.

We just thought he was private. No big deal.
Until one lunch break, he pulled me aside.

“I need to tell you something,” he whispered.
“I’m gay… and I’m scared it’s going to ruin everything.”

I froze not because I cared that he was gay.
But because I realised how much fear he’d carried… just to say that out loud.

“Mate,” I said, “you’re still Ryan. Doesn’t change a thing.”

His eyes glassed over.
“I can’t laugh at the jokes anymore. It hurts. Pretending is exhausting.”

That hit me.
Hard.

Because I’d laughed too.
Even made a few.
Not to hurt anyone just the usual site banter.

But now I saw it.

How it silences people.
How it chips away at them when no one’s watching.

After that, I had his back.
Quietly at first cutting off dodgy chat, shifting the convo when things got too close to the bone.

Some rolled their eyes.
Most followed.

Ryan changed.
He smiled differently. Laughed louder.
And during Pride Week, he did something none of us expected:

He stood up at toolbox talk and told his story.

Shaky hands. Sweating. Brave as hell.

“I don’t need you to be perfect,” he said.
“Just don’t make me feel like I have to hide to be safe.”

We gave him a proper round of applause.
Not polite.
Foot-stomping.

He’d earned it.

Now Ryan runs monthly check-ins for anyone struggling no matter who they are or what they carry.

Because no one should have to hide just to survive.

It takes guts to speak. It takes heart to listen.

Onward Shift

30/03/2026

27/03/2026

26/03/2026

25/03/2026

05/03/2026

26/05/2025

19/05/2025

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14/05/2025

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