Chesterfield group aimed at improving men's mental health will continue

Frazer Longford, Rebecca Tustin, from Co-op Funeralcare, Tricia Black and Jason Cotton. Picture by Brian Eyre.

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Two friends will continue to hold meetings in Chesterfield to help improve men's mental health - after the first one proved to be an 'incredible success'.

As reported by the Derbyshire Times in March, Jason Cotton and Frazer Longford - who work at the Royal Mail offices on Future Walk in Chesterfield - last year started a group, called Men+Talk, to help males in their workplace.

The friends who are helping to improve men's mental health in Chesterfield

Because hundreds of their colleagues have benefited from the meetings, the pals decided to hold a session of Men+Talk - this time open to all males in the town - in April. It made such a difference that a second one will be held at the Parish Centre on Sheffield Road, Stonegravels, from 7pm on Wednesday.

Of the first meeting, 44-year-old Jason, of Holmgate, said: "The evening itself was an incredible success with a really great attendance. We spent two hours talking, sharing and supporting each other."

The group heard from Patricia Black, whose father Terence Neal sadly took his own life at Dronfield train station last year, and Rachael Jones, whose dad Paul Jones also died by suicide in 2018. They encouraged men to open up.

Jason added: "Me and Frazer both feel that it's so important to create the right environment for the men.

"For them, making the step to come along and attend will be huge and we fully respect and admire the men for doing so.

"They are free to talk and express how they feel and it's completely confidential.

"To see the men leave as survivors rather than victims is an incredible experience."

Jason thanked everyone who has made the group possible and he also thanked the people of Chesterfield for their support.

He added that a Facebook group, called Men-Talk, had also been set up to complement the meetings.