Charity offers a new space for men to relax and talk

By Adam Colclough

Community support group Better Together is launching a new meet-up group for men at their Trent Vale hub later this month.

The Men’s Social Club will provide a safe space for men of all ages to meet up and chat over a cup of tea or coffee, on the last Tuesday of the month.

Better Together Volunteer Adam Colclough said: “We want the group to be a safe and welcoming space where men can come and talk about things that concern them. Hopefully we will also have a bit of a laugh too and get involved with the other projects run by Better Together”.

The club will also offer peer support and signposting to help from other organisations.

Men aged between 40 and 49 years have the highest suicide rate in the UK. Of 6000 suicides recorded in 2017, 75% were men.

Men often report lower than average levels of life satisfaction, and can be reluctant to seek support for mental health issues due to stigma and cultural expectations to be strong.

The Better Together Men’s Social Club aims to support men to talk about and seek help with mental health issues, and to develop a network of mutual support.

Loneliness and social isolation are also significant problems for men and everyone else, particularly older people and those who are unemployed or who live alone.

Adam said: “As a volunteer for mental health charities in the city for the past ten years, I have seen at first hand the challenges people face and how, with the right support, they can overcome those challenges and live active and fulfilling lives.”

The Men’s Social Club will meet for the first time on Tuesday 30^th May, between 7pm and 9 pm, at the Better Together Community Hub, 4 Woodberry Close, Trent Vale, ST4 5LU.

For further information contact Better Together by emailing: bettertogethercommunity@outlook.com