A Lichfield retailer has unveiled the guest speaker at an event raising awareness of the mental health challenges men face in the modern world.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, will speak at the virtual event hosted by Central England Co-op on 24th March.
Other sessions at the event will focus on health and wellbeing, bereavement and life after lockdown.
Mr Burnham said:
“I am really pleased to be able to join Central England Co-op to support this Men’s Voices event – I look forward to contributing to the day’s important discussions.
“Any work to reduce the stigma around male mental health should be applauded.
“As we continue to face the challenges and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, now is a critical time to have these conversations and ensure men feel comfortable in speaking up without fear.”
Andy Burnham
The retailer said previous events had been held to coincide with International Men’s Day in November, but that the current timing felt appropriate to discuss some of the topics with an end to lockdown in sight.
Organiser James Knight said:
“We are really delighted to be welcoming Andy to the event and feel with the current campaigns that he is involved with, particularly around mental health and supporting those suffering as a result of this pandemic, he will be a really insightful and engaging voice to spark interesting debates and conversations.
“The timing of the event feels right, particularly now we have the roadmap out of lockdown, and it is an opportunity to reflect on the challenges of the past year and those ahead as we move to some semblance of normality in the coming months.
“We look to hold these events to try and give men a voice in the modern world and provide a space where men feel they can talk about the issues that affect them.
“There has traditionally been a stigma around men talking about their feelings, with terms like ‘man up’ too often used in response to men suffering with their mental health but with the continued and shocking rise in male suicide rates it is vital that we continue to fight against that stigma.”
James Knight
The Men’s Voices event takes place on Zoom between 10am and 12pm. Places are limited and free tickets can be booked online.
