Vital Morecambe men’s mental health group celebrates monumental first anniversary

A vital lifeline for men in Morecambe is celebrating a massive milestone this month after clocking up more than 1,200 visits in its very first year.

Volunteers from Andy’s Man Club Morecambe met recently to recognise the achievements of bringing and maintaining the national mental health charity in the town.

When facilitators opened the doors for the first time on October 13 last year, they were unsure if anyone would show up.

However, 40 men walked through the doors on that opening night. Twelve months later, local men have returned to the group a total of 1206 times, proving just how vital the service is to the community and reinforcing the core message that #ItsOkToTalk.

Operating over 350 venues nationwide, Andy’s Man Club offers a free, peer-to-peer support group for men who want to talk, listen and find community.

Locally, the group meets at the Halo Aerospace Stadium, home of Morecambe Football Club, every Monday from 7pm to 9pm, except on Bank Holidays.

Organisers emphasise that how often men attend is entirely up to them, with some members attending every week, some coming monthly and others simply dropping in occasionally when they feel they need an extra layer of support. There is no commitment, no expectation, no judgement and absolutely no pressure.

For those thinking about attending for the first time, volunteers are on hand to make the experience as easy as possible.

Newcomers are greeted at the entrance by a friendly facilitator who will walk them into the room, recognising that crossing the threshold is often the hardest part.

To ensure they are easy to spot, facilitators always wear distinctive, branded clothing, and directional signs are placed outside the stadium. Once inside, attendees are welcomed with a dedicated hot drinks and biscuit station stocked with tea, coffee, juice, and biscuits.

The sessions officially begin at 7pm and while attendees are advised to arrive slightly early to grab a brew, the format remains completely relaxed and non-clinical.

The first part is dedicated to settling in, casual socialising and introducing the basic ground rules of the room, which firmly centre around maintaining confidentiality whilst placing an emphasis on no pressure and no judgement. Facilitators will often break the ice by sharing a bit of their own stories first to make everyone feel at ease.

Then the session moves into its core structure using a talking ball passed from person to person. Whoever holds the ball has the floor to speak, while everyone else listens without interruption.

The discussion moves through a standard five-question programme, starting with how the week has been and naming one positive thing, no matter how small. It then opens up for men to get anything off their chest.

Then there’s a break for men to grab another drink and biscuits before concluding with two final questions that change every week to focus on resilience and looking forward.

Crucially, there is no obligation to speak and any man who prefers to just listen can simply pass the ball along, ensuring the evening remains a safe, pressure-free space before wrapping up by 9pm.

To find out more, you can email [email protected] and/or visit the website https://andysmanclub.co.uk/ or pop down on a Monday evening.