Counsellor sets up Stowupland Men Walking and Talking group

Tom Huber, 44, who has worked in mental health since 2008, hopes the new Men Walking and Talking group will provide a safe space for men to get exercise and support each other.

It will be the first Suffolk branch of Men Walking and Talking, a national charity established in 2021 to bring men together to end the stigma of men’s mental health.

Mr Huber said: “By walking and talking, we just want to find something which connects people on a weekly basis. We care for each other and look out for each other.

“There will be no expectations. People don’t have to talk - they can just be present and take the time they need. If people just want to get out of the house for an hour, that’s not a bad thing. There are no expectations as to how much people talk or disclose.”

The group will begin in the next few weeks, meeting each Tuesday evening in Stowupland at 7pm for an hour's walk. It is open to any man over the age of 18.

And Mr Huber has seen in his counselling work just how important exercise and talking can be after Covid.

He said: “It’s so easy to get stuck in the rat race, to say the right things, to do the right things, and you forget to talk about the things you really need to.

“Covid has caused a lot of people to become stagnant and anxious. People have fallen into habits which are comfortable, but don’t necessarily serve us. More people are working from home, for example.

“This will be a group of men trying to support each other in a difficult world because the challenges of life build up quickly. There’s something really good at being able to give each other an ear.”

Details of the group will be finalised in the next fortnight, but anyone interested can reach out to Tom Huber on 07572 924434 or email tom-huber@hotmail.co.uk.