We’ve launched activity groups to help men with their mental health in South Tyneside
Activity groups designed to help men aged 50 and over with their mental health have been launched in South Tyneside.
Age Concern Tyneside South (ACTS) has successfully launched its Men’s Space Project, which aims to tackle mental health problems for men over the age of 50 in South Tyneside.
The groups aim to do this by running a variety of activities such as bowls, snooker, chess, and more, in an effort to reduce loneliness and isolation.
The project has been commissioned for a year through Public Health South Tyneside and has already been a success among men in the borough.
Susan Wicks, the Deputy Chief Officer at ACTS, has given an insight into how the groups have been received by men in South Tyneside and explained that the project has been shaped by service users.
She said: “The project is all about delivering a service that is specifically for men and we are trying to encourage as many men as possible to come forward as we know it is often hard for men to talk about how they are feeling.
“Before we launched the project, we got feedback from a lot of men who we help at Age Concern and they said that if they are doing an activity, they are not conscious that they are talking about how they are feeling and it is easier for them to come together.
“People are more likely to open up and get support from others when they recognise that they aren’t on their own.
“The atmosphere of the groups is really relaxed, friendly and open - there isn’t any judgement, they are just groups for men to come along to.
“There has been friendships sparked and those who are coming along are now meeting up with each other outside of the activities as well, which is really nice.
“We’ve got a great team of staff and volunteers who are there to support anyone to comes along so we encourage as many men as possible to get involved.”
On the back of the successful Men’s Space Project launch, ACTS is now preparing to launch Proud Pals - a group that caters for gay men over the age of 50.
Susan has revealed to the Shields Gazette that the concept for Proud Pals stemmed from two men who were already coming along to the activity groups.
She added: “The idea for Proud Pals came from two gentlemen who were already coming along to the groups, who raised that there wasn’t anything in South Tyneside for gay men over the age of 50.
“It was a gap they identified so we worked with them to design what the group is and what they want it to be, as well as them shaping it and taking it in a direction that they want.
“We want men to help us what they want, it is their service and we want them to take the lead on it.
“So we are really excited to get Proud Pals up and running, we’ve had a lot of positive responses on social media so look forward to it being in place by the end of this month.”
The groups are for men aged 50 and over, with the full schedule as follows:
Monday:
- Check Mates & Scrabble Kings: Board games from 12pm until 2pm at the ACTS community room, on 29 Beach Road, in South Shields.
- Gentlemen’s Cue and Bullseye Group: Running from 2pm until 5pm at the Shields Snooker Centre, on Chichester Road.
Tuesday:
- Jarrow Lawn Bowls: Running from 1.30pm until 3.30pm at Jarrow West Park Bowling Club, on Sussex Street.
Wednesday:
- Growing Together ACTS Men’s Drop In: Held from 10am until 12pm at the Jarrow Allotment Harrison Field.
- Boldon Men’s Group (Coffee Drop In): Based at the Boldon Community Association, the event runs from 1.30pm until 2.30pm.
- ACTS Men’s Group Coffee Drop In: Located at the ACTS community room, on 29 Beach Road, in South Shields, the drop in starts at 2.30pm and finishes at 4pm.
Thursday:
- Proud Pals Gay Men’s Group: Starting from July 24, the group will be based at the ACTS community room, on 29 Beach Road, in South Shields, from 2pm until 4pm.
Friday:
- Men’s Bridge Group: Based at the Caledonian Hotel Pub, on Lyon Street, in Hebburn, from 1pm until 3pm.
- Men’s Walk in the Park: Starting from August 1 at Hebburn Central, on Glen Street, in Hebburn. The walk takes place from 1.30pm until 2.30pm.
You can find out more about ACTS and the work it carries out in South Tyneside at: https://ac-ts.org.uk/.