It’s always been a bit of a joke about men. That they don’t stop and ask for directions even when they are hopelessly lost. As funny as the joke may be there is a serious side to it. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 49. Why is that? Because men don’t ask for help when they need it. They suffer in silence. They feel like they should be able to cope with anything and that feeling stressed/depressed or anxious is a sign of weakness. We want this to end. We want men to feel able to ask for help but not only that we want them to know where to go to get help when they need it. We want to provide a place for men to turn and ask for help.
Directions For Men CiC was founded in 2019 to provide spaces where men could meet and talk to other men about the challenges they are facing in life. Those men are listened to and support by men who understand them and who can empathise. Quite often realising you are not alone experiencing these challenges can be life changing. From our one group in Warrington in 2019 we have now grown to deliver 19 groups per week across Greater Manchester and Cheshire.
Once we have established talking sessions in areas we encourage the men to develop and participate in activities. So far we have delivered activities such as walking groups, walking football, fishing, golf, bowls and photography. All intended to improve health and fitness and develop social networks that mean men never need to feel alone again.
