Man Health is a Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in 2015 by Paul Bannister. Having suffered from bouts of depression, Paul understood the stigma associated with speaking out about mental health and the struggles of asking for support.
"Staying quiet about your struggles does not work. Our culture is definitely getting better at talking openly about mental health, but we still have a way to go. Many men still feel ashamed at confessing their own struggles and it’s this shame of the fear of judgement by others which we have to challenge”
This led Paul to establish an organisation that seeks not just to support men in the communities across County Durham and Northumberland but also to indirectly benefit their families and employers, as well as GPs, the NHS and voluntary sector organisations, which are destinations for men suffering with mental ill health. It is clear that many of these agencies do not always grasp the real need of these men suffering with mental health conditions.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken its toll on many, and in May 2020 GGBL provided Man Health with funding to develop an online web and chat service, to counter some of the impact of government restrictions on men facing isolation.
This allowed the organisation to continue providing a listening ear; offer advice and give men the knowledge they need to manage their illness and rebuild their confidence.
Episode 18: In this podcast video episode, Tarek Mrad from Heston West Big Local interviews Paul Bannister, Director at ManHealth.
ManHealth is a CIC who provide support to men through a range of methods including training and peer support. They support men experiencing mental health issues through their peer support groups which are all ran by male facilitators who have a lived experience. Their training is centred on health inequalities affecting men and they campaign to raise awareness about men’s health.