Young men urged to talk about their mental health by man saved by Pompey striker

The 20-year-old, who credits Portsmouth FC forward John Marquis for helping him get his life back on track following a suicide attempt, has organised a room at Charter Community Sports Centre in Greetham Street, Southsea, to allow people to meet and share their experiences.

In a Facebook post, which has been shared by more than 300 people, George said: ‘I may not have all of the answers, but I've got a shoulder, a pair of ears and a big heart.’

George had a severe depressive episode in May and attempted to take his own life – posting a suicide note on social media.

When he regained consciousness at QA Hospital, he discovered that John wanted to talk to him. The pair have since spoken over the phone and George now realises that there is always someone to talk to.

George said he received more than 700 Facebook messages in response to his own suicide note, which left him feeling 'overwhelmed, emotional and a little bit heartbroken'.

He said: ‘I knew that if I ended my temporary pain, it would then affect others, resulting in lifelong pain for them. Last week I lost a friend to suicide and it really hit home.

‘That's when I knew something needed to happen. We need to make young lads realise that it's alright to talk about your problems.’

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George contacted BH Live, which runs Charter Community Sports Centre, and was offered a hall every Monday and Wednesday from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, starting from October 5.

After helping George recover, Pompey player John has also agreed to attend the first session, with a further 33 people requesting a space last week.

George, a business support officer, said: ‘My plan is to see how far I can take this. I've got two sessions per week but hopefully the more people who want to talk, the more freedom we have.

‘I want to get more professionals involved as well. I want something big that will encourage people to reach out to us.'

George, of Fulmer Walk, Waterlooville hopes that each session will encourage people to become more confident about how they are feeling, resulting in them growing in confidence and finding it easier to talk.

For more information, get in touch with George via Twitter @george_carnell1 or Instagram @georgecarnell1

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