MARATHON NO.7; CUMBRIA FOR ANDY'S MAN CLUB

The 7th marathon of the year will be in Cumbria running for Andy’s Man Club, a UK-based charitable organization aimed at reducing the stigma around men’s mental health and providing a safe, supportive space where men can openly discuss their feelings and challenges.

This is going to be a key theme I will always try and incorporate into each month; suffering from mental health significantly and being on the verge of suicide, I’ve talked about my experiences a lot but away from me, to show the extent of the problem in particular with men…

-In the UK, men account for about 75% of all suicides (ONS, 2023). This crisis is exacerbated by societal norms that discourage men from expressing vulnerability or seeking help.

-Many men struggle with mental health in isolation, fearing judgment or rejection if they admit to emotional difficulties. Andy’s Man Club challenges this culture by normalizing open conversations about mental well-being.

-The charity operates with the belief that mental health support should be accessible, stigma-free, and peer-driven, making it easier for men to take the first step toward healing.

I stand by this so fucking much. It comes as a second nature now but I had to work so hard to feel this comfortable to talk. There was a period when I felt like talking was the most embarrassing thing I cannot comprehend it, I used to have to get black out drunk to say how I felt and then again the morning after I would just shake it off and say I was chatting shit if anyone the morning after became concerned. I’m so glad these charities are around to help people not feel like this.

Furthermore, Andy’s Man Club hosts weekly meetings every Monday evening (excluding bank holidays) at over 200 locations across the UK. These sessions are free, confidential, and open to men aged 18 and over. The group provides a welcoming environment where men can share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without fear of being judged. Participants are encouraged but never pressured to talk.

Their motto, “It’s okay to talk,” serves as a reminder that vulnerability is not a weakness. By fostering an open dialogue, Andy’s Man Club is working to dismantle stereotypes about masculinity and emotional expression; which I absolutely stand for and cannot express enough the importance of it, it’s these types of charities I wish I found about sooner but at the same time, I know if I get down to the same point I was when I was, these are so accessible and useful to get you back to where you should be.

Unlike traditional mental health services, Andy’s Man Club relies on the power of peer support and community. It operates outside clinical frameworks, offering a more relatable and less intimidating approach to mental health. Men who want to join a session can simply attend their local club—there’s no registration or obligation. Additionally, the organization welcomes volunteers and donations to help sustain and expand its work.

When you donate to Andy’s Man Club, your contribution helps fund free weekly support groups for men, covering venue costs, training facilitators, and providing resources. It also supports the expansion of new locations, awareness campaigns to reduce stigma, and essential operational needs to ensure men across the UK can access life-saving mental health support; think about that, you’re small donation could literally save a life.

This marathon will be another attempt to bring awareness to such an important cause to me, showing it’s okay for everyone to talk; but with particular emphasis on men to help battle that stigma that still goes around today.

Please donate. If it’s not for helping people out there you don’t know, do it for the possibility that there are men that are your best friends and close to you in life, struggling and don’t know how to speak but thinking of seeking help from such charities.