Skegness bus firm partners with men's mental health charity to raise awareness

A Skegness bus operator has launched a ‘miles of awareness for men’s mental health’ campaign.

Stagecoach East Midlands is inviting customers and communities across the region to help ‘Keep The Ball Rolling’ this November, as part of its partnership with Andy's Man Club - a UK-wide men's suicide prevention and mental health charity, with local groups in Skegness, Sleaford and Louth.

A Stagecoach spokesperson explains: “The campaign launches this week to coincide with Men's Mental Health Awareness Month, with Sean Gill from Andy's Man Club handing over a specially-branded awareness football to Leigh Barker, a local bus driver and passionate advocate for the charity. The ball is beginning a unique journey across the Stagecoach East Midlands bus network.

“Inspired by the way a football is passed around during Andy's Man Club sessions to give every person the opportunity to speak, the awareness ball will travel from depot to depot, team to team, and role to role, helping to spark conversations about men's mental health along the way.”

Drivers, engineers, office teams and frontline employees will take the ball on different parts of its journey, sharing stories, photos and conversations as they help spread the charity's message #ITSOKAYTOTALK. Customers are also being encouraged to keep an eye out for the awareness ball as it travels across the East Midlands network.

The campaign is the latest chapter in Stagecoach East Midlands' partnership with Andy's Man Club, which began with a series of awareness initiatives including specially-branded buses carrying mental-health messages, community engagement events and awareness campaigns. The partnership has also received national recognition, with Stagecoach East Midlands recently being shortlisted in the Bus in the Community category at the UK Bus Awards, recognising the impact the partnership with Andy’s Man Club has had.

Matt Cranwell, Stagecoach East Midlands Managing Director said: "Through our partnership with Andy's Man Club, we've seen first-hand the difference that open and honest conversations can make in helping to break down stigma around men's mental health.”

Sean Gill, Andy’s Man Club Regional Lead - East of England, added: “What I love about this idea is that it takes something so simple and turns it into something that could have a massive impact.

“At Andy’s Man Club, we know that sometimes all it takes is one conversation to make a difference to someone’s life. The ball we pass around our groups gives every man the opportunity to speak, but just as importantly, it gives everyone the opportunity to listen.

“I’m incredibly proud to see Stagecoach helping to keep this conversation moving. If passing a ball from team to team gets people talking, checking in with each other and feeling more comfortable in opening up, then it’s doing exactly what we want it to do.

“Because you never know what someone is going through behind the scenes, and sometimes asking ‘Are you okay?’ and taking the time to listen can make all the difference.”

Find out more about Andy’s Man Club at www.andysmanclub.co.uk.