John Ritchie spent the "worst night of his life" in the Freeman Hospital before having his leg amputated in 2017. But, years later he is playing an integral role in launching a new men's mental health support group in rural Northumberland.
The Andy's Man Club organisation has seen new groups popping up all over the region - they are run "by men, for men" and work to give people a chance to speak about their worries, stresses and frustrations and to encourage men to be open about their mental health.
With support from the North East charity Rise - which has a dedicated support worker looking to improve the mental health, and general life outcomes, of young men in the Berwick area - the most northerly branch of the club in England opened earlier this year in the border town.
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John - who used to be a bus driver before his medical crisis - is one of the facilitators who helps sessions at the Northern View in Highcliffe run smoothly. He told ChronicleLive how his own dark time had inspired him to help others.
"I got involved through Jaki from Rise. She messaged me asking if it was something I'd be interested in helping with and to be honest I've been looking for a way to get involved in something along these lines since I lost my leg. That meant I couldn't drive a bus and I felt helping in some way a bit like counselling would be a positive step - and I thought I'd give it a shot.
"It's been really good. We started with about five men coming, now in the last three or so weeks we've been averaging ten or so - and it's not the same ten people each week either. It's not a counselling service. It's peer support and it's to help people get things off their chest.
When you're holding the ball you're the only one who can speak. You don't need to worry about being interrupted Everyone give a brief introduction about why they've come."
After introductions, the men present answer questions about their week in turn, before sharing a cup of tea and a chat with one another and finishing off the evening with a few more light-hearted questions. One recent example involved asking what animal attendees would be if they could choose.
John, 53, added: "I used to be a bus driver. But I got an infection in my big toe - and from then on I was in the Freeman 14 weeks which resulted in four operations. It started off with them having to remove toes to take the disease out of my foot - but I ended up being told there was nothing else they could do. I also had sepsis and MRSA.
"The night before I lost my leg was probably the worst of my life. But the next day I began thinking positively. I could have gone the other way, but I thought 'what the hell, life is what it is, you have to get one with it'. And one way of doing that is helping others.
"Being given the opportunity with Andy’s Man Club supports me in turning the negatives in my life into positives and I am really pleased to have this opportunity to facilitate a much needed talking group for men. I’ll be learning all the time from other people’s difficulties and if anything I say or do helps just one person then it’s worthwhile."
David Hattle, 56, is another facilitator. He said: "I’ve lived in Berwick all my life and was motivated to get involved after reading about how Andy’s Man Club was formed following tragic events involving male suicide. I really want to try and make a difference in our area by getting men talking and breaking down the centuries-old barriers that have stopped guys from speaking openly about how they feel. Even if we can help or support just one man that walks through the door, then opening Andy’s Man Club in Berwick has been worth it."
The Berwick Andy's Man Club is in its early days, having only begun this Spring - but Jaki Duffy from Rise, who played a key role in getting the project off the ground, added that she hoped it would help men to express their mental health worries and play a roll in reducing the suicide rate in the North East.
Jaki said: "I know that in the Berwick area and particularly during Covid there's not been much support for people. Andy's Man Club is about reducing issues like suicide by making it easier for people to talk. It's definitely vital around how it can take away the stigma of talking about social isolation and stress.
"The club is about providing a safe and friendly place for men to come together and chat. We want to tackle the stigma around men’s mental health by encouraging men to talk about their own mental health issues. Feedback from residents is a forum like this is wanted locally and I really hope it takes off. The success of Andy’s Man Club over the border in Dunbar demonstrates the need for men to have somewhere to go to have a conversation and support one another. It is a peer-to-peer support group for men – ran by men for men. I’ve seen the work they do and it’s inspiring."
Rise, a charity that works with communities across Northumberland and Tyne & Wear to improve access to health and wellbeing activities, brought the club to the border town. The Berwick branch is now the most northern Andy’s Man Club in England.
Jaki Duffy, Rise key worker in Berwick explains: The club is about providing a safe and friendly place for men to come together and chat. We want to tackle the stigma around men’s mental health by encouraging men to talk about their own mental health issues.
“Feedback from residents is a forum like this is wanted locally and I really hope it takes off. The success of Andy’s Man Club over the border in Dunbar demonstrates the need for men to have somewhere to go to have a conversation and support one another. It is a peer-to-peer support group for men – ran by men for men. I’ve seen the work they do and it’s inspiring.”
Have you benefitted from talking to peers about your mental health? Let us know in the comments below
Andy’s Man Club Berwick is held on Mondays at 7pm in the Community Room at Northern View (previously known as The Jubilee Centre), Highcliffe, Spittal, TD15 2JL.
