June 4, 2025
At Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (LMWS), our Men’s Mental Health Champions are part of a wider inclusion team who bring personal experience, knowledge and drive to improve equity across the service and our community. Like our other champion groups covering Neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+, Older Adults and others, this group works to shape how we support both our service users and each other.
Our champions meet to influence policy, guide training, and offer informal, peer-based support to colleagues. Whether you’re looking for insight, connection or advice, our champions are here to support to your wellbeing.
“The hardest and best decision I ever made was walking into a peer support group. It didn’t just save my life, it changed it.”
Tobie’s journey began in the building trade, but a turning point came when he sought help for anxiety and depression. That experience drives his work today as a Men's Champion.
He helped establish a monthly peer support group for male staff at LMWS, where the opening question is simple but powerful: “How are you really doing?”
“As men, we often brush this off. But taking time to ask and answer can make all the difference.”
Listen to Tobie on the Men’s Talk Podcast discussing identity, masculinity, and mental wellbeing.
You can listen to the podcast on:
“Stigma has made many men like me reluctant to seek help. I want to change that.”
Dylan supports men’s mental health both in and out of work. He is a trustee of a charity creating peer spaces for Punjabi men and brings these insights into LMWS.
As a Champion, he helped deliver specialist training for staff, aimed at helping clinicians better support male clients by understanding the barriers they face.
“It’s not just about helping men—it's about tackling wider health inequalities, too.”
My passion for this stems from my own experiences with mental health challenges and navigating these within the context of being male and South Asian. As a result, I am eager to speak out to encourage others to acknowledge their mental health struggles. I believe that advocating for men’s mental health is not only about supporting men but also about addressing wider gender disparities within healthcare, recognising health inequalities and working to challenge them.
The first step towards help can often be the hardest, so it’s crucial that we do our best to make the process as comfortable as possible for those who have little or no prior experience discussing their mental health—whether due to stigma, fear, or prejudice.
“I believe men can do more to support their own wellbeing—and each other.”
Abdullah, who works across LMWS and Touchstone, draws from his background in adult social care and youth peer support. As a Black Muslim man, he is enthusiastic about tackling health inequalities and creating inclusive spaces for men from all backgrounds to talk about mental health.
“I’m also on my own journey, and that’s why I care so deeply about this work.”
“The first step toward help can be the hardest—but it’s also the most important.”
Simon leads a team of therapists at LMWS and recently took on the role of Lead Men’s Mental Health Champion, bringing a leadership voice to the initiative.
With a background in social work and over 20 years supporting children and families, Simon has seen first-hand the gaps in support for men—as parents, partners, and individuals.
“Too often, men are underrepresented in services. That needs to change. The more we normalise seeking help, the more lives we can positively impact.”
What has always struck me is the significant proportion of women—mothers and female staff—who access and work within these services, compared to men. However, this does not reflect the actual number of fathers, male carers, or male children and young people within families who need support. That said, I have also seen many excellent examples of male staff and service users being fantastic role models, benefiting greatly from these services—something we can build upon at LMWS.
Men are still less likely to access mental health services and more likely to die by suicide, with only 36% of referrals to NHS Talking Therapies made by men. Many face challenges such as job stress, health issues, or isolation—but don’t always feel able to speak out.
At LMWS, we’re working to change that. Our Men’s Champions are one part of a wider effort to make our services:
“Supporting men’s mental health helps families, communities and society as a whole.”
If you're feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or just need someone to talk to — you’re not alone.
LMWS offers a wide range of free, confidential support including:
If you’re struggling with your mental health and need support, visit our website here: www.leedsmentalwellbeingservice.co.uk or Self refer: https://leedsmentalwellbeingservice.co.uk/refer-yourself/