Recent research commissioned by Flash Pack shows that over ½ * of men in the UK wish they could be more vulnerable with their friends, and almost the same amount (43%) admitted to never having told their friends they loved them.

To get more men talking, co-founder of solo travel company Flash Pack and men’s mental health advocate, Lee Thompson, has taken to the streets of London to ask men about their friendships.

In a video shared on social media, Lee stops passers by outside of Kings Cross and has vulnerable and heartwarming conversations with strangers – with many of the people in the video proceeding to pick up the phone and tell a mate they love them.

Lee’s passion for men’s mental health and friendship stems from his own personal experience with loneliness and depression, having suffered with severe separation and isolation at the age of 40.

Lee Thompson, co-founder at Flash Pack said: “Heading into my 40s, I’ve experienced moments of loneliness and have felt disconnected from some of my friends – and I’m not the only one.

“Every time I start to think about rekindling old friendships or picking up the phone to tell someone how I’m feeling or that I miss them, the fear of judgement creeps in. But nine times out of ten I know my mates are feeling the exact same way.

“Traditionally, Valentine’s has always been about romantic love but it shouldn’t have to be just about that. It’s good to shake up the narrative and focus on platonic relationships – particularly between men.

“Our friends are the people who last the distance; they’re the ones cheering us on through all life’s ups and downs. If you think about it, they’re often our greatest love stories. We want to celebrate this kind of love, as we explore how men can follow the lead of women by being more vulnerable and expressive in friendship.

“It’s exactly this type of openness that Flash Pack is looking to harness in our mission to create one million friendships via our growing global community,” Lee continues. “We’re in the midst of a loneliness epidemic right now, but we’re looking to buck the trend by forging strong and lasting connections between like-minded adults all over the world.”

Flash Pack will be donating 5% of sales to CALM on Valentine’s Day as part of their ongoing commitment to open up the conversation around mental health, and celebrate friendship.