Walking toward change: how our colleague, Stephen, is tackling conversations about men’s mental health
Today marks International Men’s Day – an opportunity to celebrate men’s contributions and raise awareness about issues they may face, including mental health and wellbeing.
According to Bupa’s research, half of men in the UK have experienced poor mental health, yet only around one in four feel comfortable talking to friends about their struggles. Property Service Improvement & Complaint Co-ordinator, Stephen, has been tackling this challenge – one step at a time.
Inspired by his own experience, Stephen has started a Men Walking and Talking group in his local community to create a safe place for others to open up.
Stephen recalled “On my very first walk, I had one other person come along. But on that freezing, dark January evening, we walked and talked anyway. And I realised that if I could help even one person feel less alone, it was worth every step.”
Since then, Stephen has met over 100 like-minded men in his local area who needed someone to talk to. Currently, the group has over 20 regular members that meet every Wednesday evening, walking about 3 ½ miles and chatting along the way.
Stephen said “There’s no pressure at all to talk about the big things. For some people, listening to stories from others can be just as helpful in assuring them that they are not alone in feeling this way.
“Sometimes our conversations are about the football, and sometimes people feel comfortable sharing so much more.
“It’s about getting like-minded people out for a chat. There’s no paperwork, no sign-up, no charge – it really is as simple as we walk and we talk.”
And the response from the local community has been incredible. Rallying behind this important initiative, similar groups have started for others who are struggling.
Stephen’s walking group has even become a bit of a local landmark, with passing drivers giving them a wave or a pip of the horn. Local police and emergency services also often stop to say hello, and recently Stephen and some of the team met with local MP Sureena Brackenridge to raise awareness of the work they are doing.
Stephen added “I’m really proud of our walking group. We’ve not even been going for a year yet and have already had countless really valuable conversations whilst we’ve walked over 157.5 miles – that’s further than the distance between our Parker Court office and Big Ben!”
Founder of Men Walking and Talking, Dan Reid, said “Men Walking and Talking is an initiative created with one clear goal: to support men’s mental health through the power of connection and conversation.
“We’re really grateful to volunteers like Stephen for giving other men a safe space to open up about the struggles they may be experiencing. They make Men Walking and Talking what it is today and are the reason we are able to encourage over 500 men each week around the country to #TakeTheFirstStep”.
Starting in 2021, they now operate over 50 weekly walks across the country, with groups already in Wednesfield, Telford, Shrewsbury and Oswestry. You can find your local group and meeting information, on their website.
