From 6 September, Gleneagles will become host to the 61st branch of the national charity, which first launched in Yorkshire in 2016. Men will be welcome to drop in to the free-to-attend weekly sessions every Monday from 7pm in our Arena, a venue which offers privacy, parking and complimentary refreshments.
Andys Man Club – named in honour of Andrew Roberts, a man who died by suicide aged 23 – was launched to encourage men to open up to other men about their feelings and experiences, challenge the stigma surrounding men’s mental health, and promote suicide prevention.
The Gleneagles group will be led and facilitated by two members of our own team, Billy Ramsay and Mark Nichols, who are passionate advocates for the charity, having faced their own mental health challenges and after benefitting from the club themselves for many years.
We encourage any men in the region who may be going through a difficult time, who feel lost, lonely, distressed, hopeless or suicidal, or who simply need to talk to someone, to come along.
Emma Simpson, Gleneagles’ Director of People & Culture, says “Male suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50. The cultural and societal expectation that men need to be ‘strong’ or learn to ‘man up’ when they experience emotional or mental health difficulties remains all too prevalent and directly contributes to this heart-breaking statistic.
“At Gleneagles, we’re working hard to tackle that stigma – so that we may listen to, learn from, and understand how we can better support the men in our lives, both at home and at work – through a range of initiatives, including the training of 42 mental health first aiders across our business.
“We’re therefore delighted to partner with Andys Man Club, which will offer a life-changing and life-saving resource, not just to Gleneagles employees, but to any men in the local community who need support.”
If you or any man you know would like to attend the Andys Man Club sessions at Gleneagles, no questions will be asked and no judgement will be made. Simply drop in to the Arena on Mondays from 7pm.
For more information, visit www.andysmanclub.co.uk
