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17
Aug 2024
Andy’s Man Club to open Ripon branch
Male suicide prevention charity Andy’s Man Club is set to open its second branch in the Harrogate district.
The charity, which offers free peer-to-peer sessions at locations nationwide, boasts more than 200 support groups and meets every Monday evening.
A branch was set up at Harrogate College last December, which was endorsed by Emmerdale actor Dominic Brunt, and the charity is now headed for Ripon.
Andy’s Man Club works to encourage men to open up about the “storms affecting their lives” in a “safe, judgement-free and non-clinical environment”.
The volunteer-led organisation also aims to de-stigmatise mental health and combat male suicide, which is the biggest killer of men under the age of 50.
The Stray Ferret spoke to the charity and asked why Ripon was chosen as its newest location. Volunteer Andy King, who help set up the Harrogate branch, said:
There's a need. Andy's Man Club aims to hold sessions within 30 minutes of every man in the UK.
This has been in the works for seven or eight months now – it takes a lot to get it going.
But we assessed who was coming to the Harrogate sessions and where they're based, then we looked at other locations in the area, and it just felt like Ripon was common ground.
Mr King said the team wanted to set up a new location that was "more accessible" to those already travelling to Harrogate, or for people in rural areas with less access to transport links.
Area lead for North Yorkshire, Elliot Lukies, told the Stray Ferret the group involves a "brew, a biscuit and a chat".
Andy's Man Club was set up in 2016 after 23-year-old Halifax man, Andrew Roberts, took his own life. His mum Elaine and brother-in-law Luke founded the charity in his memory and to offer men aged 18 and above a place to speak freely about their feelings.
The first session was held in Andrew's West Yorkshire hometown, and now helps more than 4,500 men every week.
The new branch will hold sessions at Ripon Bowling Club from September 16. It will meet every Monday at 7pm, excluding bank holidays.
To find out more about Andy’s Man Club, email info@andysmanclub.co.uk or follow the charity on Facebook.
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