Andy’s Man Club
This section of my blog is a personal record of my journey with Andy’s Man Club – from walking through the door for the first time, to helping open the Louth group, and through the years as a facilitator.
It’s not about policy – although policy might get mentioned. It’s not promotion – although I do recommend AMC. It’s reflection of my years attending and facilitating at Andy’s Man Club.
The good nights. The heavy nights. The friendships. The structure. The weight that sometimes lingers long after 9pm on Monday nights.
Honest thoughts about what it’s really like to sit in that circle – and the added weight, along with privilege, of wearing the black and white shirt.
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Thanks Mate, Pass the Ball – Andy’s Man Club
Last night one of our facilitators shared that his long-time ill dad had passed away. This morning the group chat felt heavy. No one wanted to be the first to move it on. I said: Nobody wants to be the first to move the conversation on from what was shared. And I suppose that’s similar…
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When Helping Other Men Started To Hurt
For the past three years, I’ve walked into a room on a Monday night, pulled on a black and white AMC t-shirt, and, along with other facilitators (we have several now) tried to hold space for other men. I care about them. I care about the group. For a couple of hours a week, I…
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The Emotional Risk Nobody Talks About in Men’s Groups
Put 15 blokes in a circle. Tell them they can offload. Tell them they won’t be judged. Tell them nothing leaves the room unless someone is at risk of harming themselves or others. Now watch what happens. You’re going to hear things that sit perfectly with you. Things you relate to, can understand, can relate…
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Memes Won’t Save Men from Suicide. Real Connection Might.
We’re drowning in mental health content while men are quietly dying. Something isn’t adding up. Every day, millions of people scroll past a graphic that says “check on your friend.” They might tap it, feel a brief warm glow, and keep scrolling. Meanwhile, in the UK, multiple men die by suicide every single day. We’ve…
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Andy’s Man Club is About the Team, Not the Title
Every Monday, across more than 330 groups, around 6,500 men walk through the doors of Andy’s Man Club. That doesn’t happen because someone ticked a box on a rota. It happens because teams show up. Yes, we need a Lead Facilitator. Yes, we need a Co-Facilitator, a couple of Sweepers, ideally 4 facilitators in the…
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The Loudest Voice in the Room
Wearing the black and white doesn’t make you the most important man in the room. It doesn’t mean you should be the loudest voice. It doesn’t mean you should be the most knowledgeable voice. It definitely doesn’t mean you should fill every silence. The most important voice in the room is always the man holding…
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When Peer Support Ends and You Drive Home Alone
There’s a moment that happens in peer support groups that nobody really talks about. A bloke shares something heavy. Not “work’s been stressful” heavy. Something that’s been buried for years. Something that took courage, or maybe just the right Monday night, to finally say out loud. The room goes quiet. You can feel it land.…
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What Happens After Andy’s Man Club Ends at 9 O’Clock
Monday night. Andy’s Man Club. A dozen blokes, maybe more, in a circle. Serious stuff gets said. Real stuff. And then it’s 9 o’clock, and everyone heads home. Except it doesn’t always work like that. Not for me, anyway. And from what I’ve heard, from other facilitators and even some members, not for others. Sometimes…
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A Year of Opening the Door at Louth Andy’s Man Club
We’re moving soon. The room we’ve been using at Louth Andy’s Man Club has served us well, but it’s getting tight. We’ve been getting a dozen or more men through the door regularly, and the space just doesn’t have much give left in it. On top of that, there’s some uncertainty about the building itself…
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The Car Park Moment That Matters More Than You Think
It was a Monday night. Just before 7pm. Cold. I was outside, doing the sweeper role at Andy’s Man Club. The sweeper role is exactly what it sounds like. You’re out front. You’re the first face someone sees. And more often than not, you’re the reason a new man doesn’t just drive straight past and…