Men urged to reach out​ by Bro Pro

​David Salkeld is lead for Bro Pro’s Louth group, which meets from 7pm to 9pm every Tuesday evening at the Trinity Centre in the town, and he said that there is still a stigma around men’s mental health which needs to change.

David has accessed help for his mental health himself, and he said something that his GP said to him struck a cord with him

He said: "My GP said if you have a stomach problem you’d go and see a specialist, and if you need help for your mental health then counselling is a sensible way to get through something.

"But the problem is there is still a stigma around men asking for help, people still think they should just get on with it and “man up”.

“Women will often share their feelings with friends, but men won’t do that, they just say ‘I’m ok’ and if they’re not on top of the world, then their friends just say “What’s up with him?”

“We want to show men that Bro Pro can help men to deal with their problems by reaching out, and we want to encourage men to do so.”

Bro Pro offers a place for men to sit and have a chat over a cuppa and biscuits, but if they’re not comfortable sharing with the group, also offers one to one support and the men can also be signposted to the appropriate place to get more help if they need it.

Men are also free to drop in whenever suits them, and they don’t have to turn up at 7pm on the dot, David said, they can simply come whenever they like and stay as long as they like.

"We’re trying to encourage men to come forward and and contact someone if they need to, and also to let them know what’s out there for them.”

Bro Pro also offers sessions in Mablethorpe, Alford, Spilsby, Skegness, Cleethorpes, and Horncastle.

To reach out to Bro Pro, or for more information, you can call or WhatsApp lead co-ordinator David Bruce on 07939 092585.