How local group, Men Unite, are supporting men’s mental health
TW: suicide
Men’s mental health has been a real focus in Stoke-on-Trent recently, following a report last year which highlighted an upward trend in male suicide rates.
At 23.1 deaths by suicide by 100,000, Stoke ranks far higher than the England average of 15.9. This has been a major concern for the local authority and community organisations alike.
Local men’s mental health support group, Men Unite, was founded by Craig Spillane in 2019 as a safe space for men to open up about their mental wellbeing.
Men Unite support men through their online group, football and mental health workshops.
In their Facebook group, men can share their thoughts and stories, as well as support others. The group has nearly 14,000 members worldwide, and has been vital in supporting the mental health of many men, including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The group is manned 24 hours a day by a team of extraordinary volunteers all with ‘lived experience’, and are trained to help and support members.
“You could be struggling here in stoke at 3am and you could put a post on our fb page and that post will be answered within seconds because that network is there for them.”
– Craig Spillane. (Source)
On January 11th 2021, they opened a physical hub at Hanley Town F.C.. The Men Unite Hub allows men to seek ‘non-clinical’ support from the mental health group’s team, which includes their support worker, counsellor and specialist staff.
The hub is open 8am-5pm Monday to Friday and on a Wednesday until 8pm.
During the pandemic, Men Unite also set up a foodbank to help the local community in collaboration with community group Chesterton Street Champions.
In an interview with ITV, Craig discusses why he thinks the online forum has helped men with their mental health. You can check this out here.
With Stoke having the highest rate of depression out of all 152 councils across England, mental health will continue to be a focus for groups and organisations across the city this year and beyond. Groups like Men Unite are vital in supporting people struggling with their mental health, and having more safe spaces to talk and share openly are an essential part of helping people onto the road to recovery.
How you can get involved
Men Unite would like to offer their services within your workplace or site, school or college or university.
They deliver mental health workshops or toolbox talks structured around your employees or staff.
You can contact Craig at craig@menunite.org or 07771460806 to discuss further.
Check out their website for more information and helpful resources.