Mental health journey leads Orkney man on a quest to help others

Duncan Ross is looking for volunteers to help launch a local Andy’s Man Club

Orcadian social care worker Duncan Ross has been on his own mental health journey and knows first-hand the importance of starting a conversation thanks to the support he received from the charity Andy’s Man Club.

Taking those first steps to seeking out help can be the hardest but reaching out during his time of need has enabled Duncan not just to thrive personally, but to want to help others facing similar difficulties.

Duncan said: “Andy’s Man Club takes its name from Andrew Roberts, a man who sadly took his own life aged 23 in early 2016 and the charity was set up in his memory and to help others by his mum and brother-in-law. I was a member of Andy’s Man Club in England and witnessed how peer support can benefit men going through mental distress and at risk of suicide.

“Many groups in Orkney are isolated such as farmers and older people and this can lead to vulnerability. Therefore, a local Andy’s Man Club would provide a support network for these communities. Suicide nationally is the single biggest cause of death in men between the ages of 35 and 49 in particular. 15 people a day complete suicide in the UK and triple that number attempt suicide.”

Living in England and focusing heavily on his job at the time, Duncan quite simply burnt out and hit rock bottom in 2020 during lockdown. He was detained under the Mental Health Act and diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

This dark time was actually to signal a new beginning for Duncan and thanks to support from various areas including Andy’s Man Club, his life began to turn around.

Duncan then made some life-changing decisions – giving up his job and home in England to return to Orkney, allowing him to receive support from his family.

He has also been helped by local mental health services in Orkney and the Blide Trust – where he became a volunteer and now also sits as a Trust and Board member.

Duncan returned to work in 2022 as an employability officer and has since joined the Council team as a social care worker.

In conjunction with the Blide Trust, he is looking to launch a local Andy’s Man Club – joining many other branches throughout the country. He is appealing for a few more men who may be interested in getting on board.

“We need a couple more group facilitators and by that I mean men who can attend the group 7-9pm on a Monday evening on a regular basis. They would be meeting and greeting initially and once more experienced would have the opportunity to lead the group discussion.

“We hope to launch the group in the summer once we have the volunteers in place.”

The group will meet within the Blide Trust on Victoria Street Kirkwall on Monday evenings and will be open to any man over the age of 18.

Andy’s Man Club is a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free peer to peer support and has over 100 groups nationwide. In these groups, men can open up about the storms affecting their lives in a safe, judgement-free and non-clinical environment. The clubs are designed to be free of pressure, there is no obligation for men to speak, they can simply listen if they wish.

Duncan said: “The aim of the club is to provide men with a safe space where they feel comfortable to talk and open up about their experiences in a room free of judgement.

“The club endeavours to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and get men talking. It can be difficult to start that conversation, but for some you find that once you start, you don’t want to stop!”

Anyone interested in supporting the creation of an Andy’s Man Club in Orkney should contact Duncan by email on Duncan.ross27@yahoo.co.uk