ANDY’S Man Club will have more than 180 groups running across the country when new sessions at Wombwell Library begin next month.
The men’s mental health and social group began in 2016, after 23-year-old Andrew Roberts committed suicide despite never expressing any struggles with his mental health.
Following the tragedy, his family came up with the idea for the group, which allows men to openly talk about their emotions without fear of judgement.
Barnsley group facilitator Dean Rowe said: “It’s all about giving peer support to guys over 18.
“It’s a space where they can get things off their chest - it doesn’t matter what you say, what’s said in the room stays in the room.
“If you’re in a new area with no friends, you can come to a group and meet 30, 40 guys.
“Suddenly you’ll have 30 or 40 new brothers.”
Sessions in Wombwell will begin on March 11 at 7pm, and will then run every Monday except for bank holidays.
Beyond the talking sessions, the group also organises regular activities, allowing attendees to build a wider, supportive social circle.
Regular attendee Steve Fox, told the Chronicle: “When I first started coming I was ‘Billy no mates’.
“So it’s been a big thing for me and now I’ve got some friends, like a couple of guys who come to the gym and train with me.
“Without attending I wouldn’t have known them from Adam.
“The hardest thing is walking through the door - I’ve been trying to get my son to come and we’ve been on about it for ages, then when he came he was like ‘why didn’t you make me do that sooner’?”
