May 28

May 28 Talk Club

There’s so much in that question. Maybe you haven’t thought to answer that for yourself. Maybe you haven’t thought to ask that of someone else. But for Ben Akers, it’s the question that can lead to everything else and the one on which his award-winning charity, Talk Club, is founded.

Talk Club provides a confidential forum for the conversations that men need to have and a safe space for men to explore their mental health and emotional wellbeing. The online and in-person meet-ups take the mental health awareness that Ben pioneered through his film Steve and turns it into mental health action: giving permission for men to look at their mental fitness and an understanding of how to get to a place of emotional strength.

We asked Ben to tell us more about his story, what motivated him to start Talk Club, and how vital it is that places like Talk Club exist. What we discovered was someone who is living his life, his own story, with the vulnerability, and courage, that he’s asking of those he’s helping.

What is it? Talk Club is a mental fitness movement for men. Founded in Bristol in 2019, the community now has over 2500 men in 64 clubs. All over the world. From Sydney to South London and all that's in between.

Why do men need it? Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK. A man takes his own life every 90 minutes. 76% of suicides are male. One of those men was my childhood best friend Steve Yates. He was a brother, a son, a father, a husband. A friend. My friend. So I made a film called Steve - a film for change. Here are links to both the trailer and the film.

From that film came the start of Talk Club, through which we promote Mental Fitness through the question/s "How are you? Out of 10?"

What do you offer? A safe community for men to be vulnerable. A network of talking groups as well as talk and move. If you are male and over 18 join us.

What makes it different? It's simplicity. We are about preventing mental ill-health. Promoting mental fitness through the Question/s "How are you? Out of 10?"

What do people need to know? This is TALK CLUB. Join us.

How can people be inspired by your space, wherever they are? Asking themselves or someone they care about: "How are you? Out of 10?" Start the conversation. Listen to the answer.

What inspires you? Human connection. Men who are vulnerable enough to help themselves. It has saved lives.

I need this. TAKE ME THERE