It’s Men’s Health Week UK from 9 – 15th June. Men’s Health Week is an annual campaign delivered by The Men’s Health Forum each year. The week aims to raise awareness of men’s health and to encourage all men to seek help to address any health concerns that they may be experiencing.
This year their campaign is calling for a Men’s Health Strategy.
For Men’s Health Week, Leeds Mindful Employer Network Project Coordinator, Leigh Staunton, explores why this week matters, and catches up with Damian Dawtry, Project Manager of Men’s Health Unlocked and the Hey Neighbour Project at Forum Central.
Why is a Men’s Health Strategy needed and why is Men’s Health Week important?
Here are some statistics demonstrating why this week matters and why a more strategic focus is needed in our health and government services.
- One man in five dies before the age of 65 (Men’s Health Forum).
- Four in five suicides are by men, with suicide being the biggest cause of death for men under 35 (UK Parliament).
- According to the BUPA Wellbeing Index:
- 43% of working British men are urging their employers to provide greater mental health support.
- 50% of men have struggled with mental health difficulties at some point, yet fewer than half have sought professional advice or support.
- 37% of UK men admit actively hiding their mental health issues from their partners.
- 30% of men surveyed said they didn’t know where to turn for advice or support.
- 65% of employees recognise that stigma around men’s mental health remains strong.
What can employers do?
Men’s Health Week is an opportunity for organisations to show that men’s health is an important concern to them, so that male colleagues may be more likely to speak up when they are experiencing low mental health, before the problem becomes more complex.
- Check out some suggestions from Inclusive Employers on how to mark the campaign
- The Men’s Health Week Top Five also has great resources to utilise
- Browse resources from Mates In Mind, including tools for managers
- Book free places at a variety of sessions at the Men’s Health at Work Conference
- You can sign up for Men’s Health Week here
Chatting with Men’s Health Unlocked
Men’s Health Unlocked (MHU) is a network supporting men’s health and wellbeing in Leeds. MHU is supported by the National Lottery and delivered by four local organisations – Barca-Leeds, Forum Central, Touchstone and the Orion Partnership. We catch up with Damian Dawtry to find out more about the work this network does and how employers in the city can get involved to support men’s health in Leeds.
Hi Damian, can you tell our members a bit about you and the work you do in Leeds?
I am Project Manager of Men’s Health Unlocked (MHU), the network for any individual or organisation supporting men’s health and wellbeing across Leeds.
I’ve been working in men’s health since 2015 and helped to set up MHU in 2020. It’s a really exciting area to work in, especially now that it is starting to get more interest following the government announcement of a Men’s Health Strategy.
Tell us a bit more about the Men’s Health Unlocked Network. Any highlights from last year? What is the focus over the next 12 months?
MHU supports men to learn about their health and links them to services. We talk to men, highlight issues that they face, and collaborate with others to address these issues.
We have loads of resources for men and those that support them, including a zine (made by men, for men), network newsletter, MHU Members scheme and even (made in partnership with the Leeds Mindful Employer Network) mental health resources to support businesses and employees who are facing redundancy.
One highlight of last year was for MHU to be mentioned alongside two or three other charities in the Parliamentary Report summary on the state of men’s health in England.
Another was being able to employ a team of workers to help deliver our services across the city. Being a one-man band can be challenging, although it has to be said that there are a lot of workers from other projects out there who are keen to collaborate and try to really help the men of Leeds.
Photo taken following a Men’s Health Awareness Session delivered in a local workplace.
Tell us about your Men’s Health Unlocked Health Awareness Sessions. Who would these sessions benefit and why should Leeds employers consider booking one for their employees?
We are really keen to get into workplaces. One main reason for this is that men struggle to get to the doctors due to their working shifts. They often don’t find themselves in a situation to talk or think about their health.
The MHU Health Awareness sessions are designed to be flexible to meet the needs and interests of the people we are delivering it to, as well as fitting the venue. They are very conversational, encouraging and interactive, and go over key areas of health – including wider things such as parenthood or gambling – and where men can get support too.
We like to stick around afterwards to offer blood pressure tests, in case anyone wants a one-to-one chat.
How can employers and employees from the Leeds Mindful Employer Network get involved in the work of Men’s Health Unlocked?
The best thing to do is to take a peek at our “MHU Guide”, which lists all our services and resources. This includes the chance to become a MHU Member, where you will receive the zine, news of upcoming events, and local business discounts.
You can also join our network meetings or simply get in touch if there is anything you want to know about men’s health either personally or for your business.
Attendees at the Leeds Men’s Health Strategy event in April 2025
Men’s Health Week 2025 is coming up soon, with the theme of A Strategic Approach. What work have you been doing lately on Men’s Health Strategy?
We had a fantastic event at the Civic Hall last month, when 80 people from council, businesses, charities and the NHS came to share their thoughts on the challenges faced by Leeds men and what we could do to overcome them.
We will be using this information to put together a joint MHU – Leeds City Council submission to the strategy’s call for evidence, which is running until mid-July. It will also help to drive forward support for men and boys in Leeds.
I am continuing to collect information for this submission – get in touch if you are interested! (contact details at the bottom of this blog)
How can employers meaningfully mark Men’s Health Week for their workplaces? What are some ways that workplaces can cultivate mentally healthy workplaces for men all year round?
I think just giving men a bit of time to think about their health, and to talk about what “being healthy” means for them, and to do it in a setting that they are comfortable with. Allow men to talk. An activity could be as simple as a “healthy walk” at lunch. The important thing is that you are allowing them to speak and express themselves and perhaps raise issues that they might otherwise not have had the chance to talk about.
I am always happy to chat through ideas – please feel free to get in touch! (contact details at the bottom of this blog)
Finally, the Leeds Northern Man Festival is just around the corner, tell us more about that and how employers can get involved
Football tournament players at the Northern Man Festival in Leeds
During Men’s Health Week, we are running the Northern Man Festival, the theme of which is “Connect and Celebrate”. It will include events and activities such as a football and snooker tournament, photo exhibition, park runs, open mic night and more.
If you are running something for Men’s Health Week, or want to run an event, please get in touch and we can support you and promote it as part of the Festival.
You can also submit a work team (or join a scratch team) for the snooker and football tournaments
- Snooker Tournament – Tuesday 10th June, 10am – 12noon (Northern Snooker Centre)
- Football Tournament Saturday 14th June, 11am – 1:30pm (Power League)
Click here to sign up for the tournaments!
Click here for the latest NMF programme
Thanks so much to Damian for supporting with this blog.
Reach out to Damian on email at damian.dawtry@forumcentral.org.uk or by calling 07985 442630.
Useful Links
Let’s Unlock: the directory of activities for men in Leeds
Guide to Men’s Health Unlocked
Men’s Health Unlocked Information and Resources
