A little bit about me – I’m approaching 50, am married and have a son who’s 26 and lives with his fiancée. I work in the most boring and hated industry in the world – insurance. Sorry but it pays the bills! Outside of work, I like to walk with my wife, Kelly, and our black Labrador, Max. Living in Northumberland, we have some of the finest hills, forests and coastlines in the country, so there’s plenty to explore.

So why did I want to set this group up? Well as men, the historical impression has always been that in the face of struggle, we should keep quiet and get on with it, and that admitting you’re struggling is a sign of weakness. Unfortunately, that fear of feeling less of a man can be all consuming and can have devastating effects on us as men as well as our friends, family and loved ones. The fact is though, we all struggle with our mental health at times, and admitting to it or talking about it is absolutely not a sign of weakness. Personally, I feel it to be a sign of strength.

I wanted to set this group up with my friend Bob as we both have the same vision of creating a safe space where men can simply walk and talk with no fear of judgement. There is absolutely no pressure on anyone to talk if they don’t feel comfortable. If you want to just walk with us then that’s fine too.

I wanted to start this group because I know how isolating life can feel when struggling with mental health. Walking has helped me clear my mind and I wanted to help others to do the same. Me and Matt got talking one day and found that we were both of exactly the same mindset so we decided to do something about it. As a result, we set up the Men Walking and Talking Pegswood Group.

I feel that creating a safe and supportive space where men can get outdoors, talk if they want to or simply walk alongside others who understand. No pressure, no judgement, just good company and helping each other one step at a time.