ANDYSMANCLUB takes its name from Andrew Roberts, a man who sadly took his own life aged 23 in early 2016. Andy’s family had no inkling that he was suffering or struggling to the extent that he would do this, and as a result looked deeper into male suicide and men’s mental health. They soon discovered that male suicide is the biggest killer of men under 54, with male mental health surrounded by well-ingrained cultural stigma in the UK.

Elaine Roberts and Luke Ambler are Andy’s Mum and Brother-in-Law, together they came up with the idea of ANDYSMANCLUB, a group where men aged 18 and above can speak openly about their mental health in a judgment-free, non-clinical environment.

Groups now operate nationwide and are completely volunteer-led, with all group facilitators having first interacted with ANDYSMANCLUB when they came through the door as a service user.

The picture is Alfie Roberts, Andy’s Nephew, Remembering his Uncle Andy

In mid-2016, nine men met in a small room in the stereotypical Yorkshire town of Halifax with a simple aim of talking through their issues and helping each other deal with their mental health.

All in attendance agreed there was a magic in that room that had to be shared. This was the start of a movement that has grown faster than anyone first involved could have ever imagined.

Fast forward to now and ANDYSMANCLUB now has hundreds of groups spread across the UK and online.