Mental health support for men in Bridlington 'still very much needed'
A local Andy's Man Club started earlier this year in the town
A mental health support group in Bridlington says it has been successful since it started earlier this year.
Andy's Man Club meets up at the town's Football Club every Monday from 7pm.
It is a place for men to come together in a safe and confidential environment to talk, or just listen, to others who are in a similar situation.
Neil Waine, Project Development Champion at Andy's Man Club, said:
"I think we had six or seven guys who turned up that first night which was excellent. There are some guys who have been coming from night one and are still attend now and loving it. The progress you see in them are fantastic and they're getting 12-15 guys through the door now. It's very much needed.
"I think it's giving guys in Bridlington the opportunity to every week know that there's somewhere to go and get that stuff off their chest and it's not getting piled up anymore to breaking point. We're giving them the opportunity to come every Monday, open up, talk and feel at ease.
"I think that's the biggest problem with male mental health in particular it's sort of the stigmas around it and the feelings of embarrassment, weakness and burdening others that typically meant they're trying not to do and don't want to feel those feelings but we're giving guys a non-judgemental space to come and talk completely confidentially.
"Speaking from personal experience of initially walking through the doors myself needing Andy's Man Club, getting through that door for the first time is the single hardest step that you'll make but once you get through that door, it'll turn into the best door you've ever walked through because you'll walk into a room full of support.
"It's completely free, there's no registration, there's no forms to fill in and we only ask one thing of you when you walk through the door there and that's your first name. Even if you don't want to talk then that's perfectly fine as it's also OK to come and find your feet, sit and find out what it's all about and get a feel for it."