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Arabs team up to tackle men’s suicidal thoughts

Andy’s Man Club is a nationwide project aimed at preventing suicide — now the biggest killer of young men in the UK, with males three times more likely to take their life than women.

The new branch of the group is set to kick off at Tannadice on Monday in the hope of ensuring men are supported through trying times.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Wendy Callander, executive director for Dundee and Angus Mental Health (DAMH), said the project’s aim was to ensure that men have a place to turn if they are contemplating ending their lives.

She said: “Andy’s Man Club has been running for a few years in England.

“It has also been in Perth for the last year.

“You don’t need to be referred by a GP.

“All you need to be is a guy who wants to speak to other people who understands that they are going through a hard time — someone who is going through a storm.

“This is a safe place for people to come to find support.

“The best thing about it, is that it is completely free — all they need to do is turn up.”

Andy’s Man Club was started in 2016 in memory of father-of-one Andy Roberts, who took his own life at the age of 23.

The tragedy led brother-in-law Luke Ambler to launch a male support group, in the hope of reducing the suicide rate among men aged 45 and under by half.

What started as a small gathering in Halifax ballooned into a Facebook group of thousands, that led to different branches popping up around the country

There are now 15 groups across the UK.

The group came to national attention when it ran a #itsokaytotalk campaign, that was backed by the likes of comedian Ricky Gervais.

The Dundee branch of Andy’s Man Club will be run by Dave Cowan — of DAMH — and United’s Ross Costorphine.

Ross said the club was providing a pitch-facing space for the group to provide a “relaxing” environment.

He said: “It is a really good project and it is going to make a massive difference in the city.

“All people have to do is turn up on the day — any man under

A MENTAL health charity has teamed up with Dundee United to launch a support network for men who have thought about taking their own lives.

the age of 45 is welcome to come along.”

It will be the second branch in Scotland, after a Perth group set up at St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park last year. Organisers from that group will also lend a hand in setting up the Dundee branch.

Wendy said they plan on launching multiple groups around the city in the future to ensure support is available to men across Dundee.

She called on local men who could benefit from the scheme to come to the launch day.

“Andy’s Man Club came about because a young man took his own life and his family started a support group to try to prevent it happening to other people,” she said.

“Now there are hundreds of people, who go every week, and they say that it saved their lives.”

Andy’s Man Club will run on Mondays at Tannadice from 7pm — the time and day it is most likely for a man to take his life. Ourvoice PAGE 16