By Nina Miller
The Shots Foundation is on a mission to get men talking. From August 12th, “Mental Health Mondays” will see the transformation of the EBB Stadium’s Pheonix Bar into a wellbeing group, helping men through the power of conversation. These weekly sessions are being done in partnership with Andy’s Man Club, the UK-wide organisation for the prevention of male suicide.
Peer-led and completely free, Mental Health Mondays were created when Andy’s Man Club approached the Shots Foundation wanting to join forces and establish a group in the Aldershot area. Shots, with its far-reaching and diverse presence in the community, was the ideal partner.
Talking with Sir John Casey, Shots’ Chair of Trustees, he highlighted an estimated 77% of men have mental health problems, and out of these almost half don’t seek help or support. The Shots Foundation is uniquely placed to help men in their community, with one of their immediate objectives being engaging with hard-to-reach groups. Central to their mission is getting people in Aldershot to contribute to their local community, and the peer-led format of the AMC sessions provides the perfect opportunity to do just that. As the foundation of Aldershot Town FC, it’s no surprise that promoting a healthy lifestyle is one of Shots’ core principles; these sessions are testament to the importance of a healthy mind in the quest for a healthy life.
With there being a well-ingrained cultural and societal stigma surrounding men’s mental health, many men feel unable to talk about their difficulties because of shame, or feeling that “you should keep your problems to yourself”. The Shots Foundation aims to break down this shame and stigma: Sir Casey stresses that these sessions are a “judgement-free and safe space”, and that the conversation around men’s mental health is one Shots is “proud” to support.