A HEREFORD tattoo artist has opened up over his mental health struggles, and encouraged people to talk to help themselves and others.

Chris Fable, 39, runs his own tattoo studio in Dormington Drive.

He started tattooing eight years ago, after gaining an apprenticeship through the Job Centre.

Within two years he’d opened his first studio in Manchester, before moving to Hereford to take up a job opportunity three years ago.

He has recently joined up with military charity Help for Heroes to help anyone who feels they need it.

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It is offering free suicide awareness training, available to all, in the hope more people will be able to identify veterans needing support and know how to signpost them to available support services to prevent another life being lost.

Mr Fable was among the first in the country to take Help for Heroes’ suicide awareness training – and the tattoo artist is urging his contemporaries and members of the public to follow suit.

He said that he has struggled with his own mental health over the years, so the issue resonates strongly with him.

Since his Grandad died nine years ago, he took on his mantle of raising funds for veterans, as he worked for the Legion, doing the poppy appeals every year.

Mr Fable said: "He was in the Royal Engineers and was in the D Day landings. I’m very proud of him and the role he played.

He said that helping veterans was his way of keeping his memory alive.

Mr Fable said: "When I heard of this campaign and the training, it was like second nature to get involved. I just like helping people.

"Recently, there was a guy, probably of similar age to me, and he had served for 15 years but was medically discharged.

"He was really struggling with the transition from service life.

"We are ‘agony aunts’; it’s what we do on a daily basis, whether the client is a veteran or not.

"You often get their life story when they’re in the chair and this training will prove very useful – not just for tattooists, but the general public as well."