By 
National Ambassador of International Men’s Day UK, Mark Brooks OBE talks to Oliver Rogers about some of the challenges and issues around male mental health.
In the UK, the team behind International Men’s Day (Sunday 19 November) believe 2023 will be the biggest ever involving over 600 organisations. The likelihood that the public support will surpass 2021 and 2022 where there was a huge response on social media (100,000 #internationalmensday tweets) and attendance at meetings, conferences and service launches. Events will be happening across the UK in the week before and the week after, as well as the day itself.
The key challenges for men include high male suicide rates. The challenges faced by boys and men at all stages of education and work including attainment, re-training, redundancy and unemployment.
Men’s health (including male cancers), shorter life expectancy and workplace deaths – plus the health impact of Covid-19.
The challenges faced by the most marginalised men and boys in society (for instance, homeless men, boys in care, school exclusions and the high rate of male deaths in custody)
For more help and guidance visit IMDUK’s website.
Ken and Bob have been out and about in the countryside and finding the positive wellbeing and refreshing effects of being in nature.
If you need immediate and further help
Contact a support service such as Samaritans by calling FREE on 116 123 at any time of day.
Mental health charity, MIND has an infoline available on 0300 123 3393 and provides a range of non-crisis support services here.
