Money raised from an army veteran’s climb up Mount Kilimanjaro carrying a fridge on his back has funded a free support group for men.
Stafford’s Mike Copeland – aka The Fridge Man – scaled the peak earlier this year raising awareness of mental health issues and more than £20,000 in support of North Staffs Mind.
Support group Mindful Men has now been launched at M Club Spa and Fitness, at Festival Park, in Stoke-on-Trent, focusing on both physical and mental health for members and non-members of the club.
Mike became a bodybuilder when he left the Army and suffered with his own mental health. The groups will be able to support men like Mike who have struggled to carry the burden of poor mental health around with them 24/7.
M Club Spa and Fitness, part of the Waterworld Group, sees a “staggering” amount of men usings its facilities to cope with mental struggles.
Wayne Goodall, Chief Operating Officer of the Waterworld Group, said: “We are so proud to see the sponsorship money going towards such an important topic of men’s health and we look forward to helping break the stigma of male mental health and supporting members of the community with their journeys’
The groups are based on the ‘5 Ways of Wellbeing’ and will encourage social connection, physical activity, mindfulness, learning and kindness to enhance self-worth, mood and confidence.
Anyone who would benefit from attending the classes, held on Tuesday evenings between 6pm and 8pm, or who knows someone who would, should contact North Staffs Mind via 01782 262100 or [email protected]
- This year’s Public Health Annual Report for Stoke-on-Trent flags mental ill-health as the largest cause of disability in the UK, affecting nearly 23 per cent of the UK’s disabled population. Statistics within the report show the city has lower levels of life satisfaction, higher prevalence of mental ill-health conditions, and higher rates of suicide compared to the national average – and worsening over the last decade. Between 2020 and 2022, there were 16 suicides per 100,000 people in Stoke-on-Trent compared to 10.3 per 100,000 in England during the same period. The full report can be found here.
