A space for men to “lighten the load of life” has opened in Dorchester
Talk Club is a UK charity, and have started a new listening group at a pub in Dorchester
A club for men to talk about how they are and how they are feeling has opened in Dorchester.
The Talk Club, at Vivo Lounge in Brewery Square, is hoping to be a “beacon of light” for men experiencing poor mental health.
Men are being encouraged to share their struggles with their peers in a non-judgemental space.
Captain of the club, Matt Garner told us: “It's been proven that talking about our worries is a really good way to look after our mental health but most blokes don't seem to know how to open up about their feelings and it’s not because they don’t want to, it’s because that's not what guys do but we want to change that by creating a space for men.”
It comes after recent figures found suicide remains the biggest killer of men under 60 and accounts for 76% of all suicides.
Mr Garner added: “Men just don't seem to have the vocabulary or the safe space to be able to talk about how they are.
“What I’ve found is that sometimes it’s a lot easier to open up with people who aren't close to you than it is with family.
“I had to seek professional help because all my family wanted to do was solve the problem but I just wanted to vent and be reassured that I wasn’t on my own.
“I think had there been an organisation like The Talk Club when I was going through my struggles, I think that would have been a massive help to me.”
The club prides itself on giving men a safe, non-judgemental space to open up about their feelings with complete confidentiality.
Sessions take place every Thursday at the Vivo Lounge in Brewery Square, Dorchester.