Men's mental health to be boosted by 24-hour UNO-thon in Horncastle
The valuable work of a group in Horncastle is to come under the spotlight at a fundraising event to boost men’s mental health.
Bro Pro UK, which offers support to men across Lincolnshire, wants to raise awareness at a 24-hour sponsored UNO-thon.
It will involve people playing the popular Mattel-manufactured card game, UNO, round the clock to generate funds for the group.
And one man keen to back the initiative is 34-year-old Marc Deller-Smith, who has been a regular user of Bro Pro UK’s services in Horncastle since last summer.
Marc says: “The UNO-thon will show that men can suffer ill mental health. It will raise awareness of what Bro Pro UK is and raise funds to help men in the county.
"I am a man with mental and physical health conditions. But this group has helped massively.
"I was busy with personal issues and not really getting out. I was suffering from anxiety and low mood.
"I was referred by my GP to a social prescriber. They saw I was anxious and suggested the Horncastle group.
"The social prescriber went with me for reassurance on my first visit, and I was made to feel welcome from the get-go.
"I went as a stranger but left as if I was a friend.
"Going to Bro Pro has helped me reduce my low mood. I now feel as if I have a purpose and a reason to get out of the house, rather than letting thoughts and feelings build up.”
Marc is sure that the UNO-thon will “highlight that men can suffer from mental health issues too, and that it is good to talk”.
It will be held at Pedal And Paws, the bicycle-themed bistro on High Street, Horncastle from 6 pm on Friday, March 6 to 6 pm the following day.
Participants will be asked to donate £5 and they can join in as many games as they wish. Spectators can watch for free.
The event will also let men know that help is on offer at the Horncastle Bro Pro meetings, which take place at Pedal And Paws on the first and third Wednesdays of every month and also at Bert House, Bull Ring on the second, fourth and fifth Wednesdays of the month, all from 6 pm to 8 pm.
The aim of the meetings is to offer a safe place to sit and chat over a cuppa and biscuits, as well as one-to-one support. Men can share their experiences and receive reassurance that they are not alone.
Marc says: “The current bunch of men at the meetings come from all backgrounds. They get together and socialise. They don’t judge.
"We regularly hold fundraising events, usually quizzes. The next one is booked for Friday, February 20 at Pedal And Paws.”
Bro Pro UK also hosts meetings at Louth Activity Centre, Park Avenue, Louth on Tuesdays from 7 pm to 9 pm; at The Alford Storehouse, West Street, Alford, on Tuesdays from 6 pm to 8 pm; at Woodhall Spa Football Club every Thursday from 6 pm to 8 pm; at the Campus for Future Living on Stanley Avenue, Mablethorpe every Thursday from 1 pm to 3 pm, and the New Life Centre and Wellbeing Hub on Church Street, Spilsby every Thursday from 7 pm to 9 pm.