"I wouldn't be here without Andys Man Club," says speaker at Men's Day event in Doncaster
An inspirational speaker has said he wouldn’t be here without help and support group Andys Man Club at an emotional event to mark International Men’s Day in Doncaster.
Rob Smith, now lead facilitator for the city’s group’s, sought help himself – and spoke of his experiences at an event at Doncaster’s Castle Park rugby ground.
The suicide prevention help and support group now has branches all over the country, helping hundreds of men each week.
Mr Smith said: “Without Andy's Man Club, there’s a real chance I wouldn’t be here today.”
“Growing up, you had to be that strong person, you couldn’t show weakness, so I never spoke about any of my problems.
“The hardest thing is that first step through the door.”
Mr Smith found out about the group online and after his first session, said: "It felt like a weight had lifted off my shoulders. I didn’t talk a lot, but just knowing that I wasn’t on my own in how I was feeling made it all worthwhile.
“I started that first night when there were 10 guys there, last week we had over 100.”
Doncaster Knights director Sir Ian McGeechan, the former Scotland international and British and Irish Lions player, also spoke at the event
During his keynote speech, Sir Ian discussed the demands, expectations and challenges he faced during the six Lions tours he was involved in as a player and later coach.
He spoke about meeting fans, visiting schools and signing autographs.
“It’s not all about what happens on the pitch, it's about providing lots of support to young lads.”
A spokesperson said: “The International Men’s Day event aimed to bring together people of all genders to celebrate the vital role men play in today’s evolving society, promote positive mental health and foster networking and support opportunities.
A panel discussion entitled Issues Facing Men Today also took place.
The panel engaged in an open discussion about the challenges modern men face, including mental health, work-life balance, and shifting societal expectations with panel members including Sir Ian McGeechan, Director of Ruby, Doncaster Knights, Rob Smith, Lead Facilitator Andy’s Man Club, Doncaster, Jackie Cook, Founder, Equality in STEM Network, Tony Houlihan, Chief Technology Officer, TwentyFour IT Services Ltd, Applaud Business Consultancy Ltd and former Don Valley Conservative MP Nick Fletcher.