New writing group for men in Herefordshire

A new writing group has launched in Herefordshire to help men with mental health problems

Are you a man in Herefordshire who has experienced mental health problems, loneliness or low mood?  Did you know that writing could help you cope with your feelings and take back a sense of control?

FurtherBeyond is a new online initiative, in partnership with Hereford Men’s Mental Health (HMMH) Group, that encourages men to try their hand at writing short stories, poems or just about their day to day life and activities.

It’s free, informal and confidential and aims to show that creativity can play a powerful part in helping people build or re-build a sense of identity and self-worth, which can help improve mental health and wellbeing.

Leonie Gregson, a Ledbury based writer who runs FurtherBeyond on a voluntary basis, told WISH: “There’s been a lot of research carried out, which shows how creative and reflective writing can support people with mental health problems to express themselves, cope with their feelings and take back a sense of control.

“I hope that FurtherBeyond will be a useful platform for men who have experienced mental health problems in Herefordshire to share their creative writing, stories or poems, which in turn will help others going through similar situations.”

If you’d like to find out more or get involved, contact FurtherBeyond at further.beyond@outlook.com or visit www.FurtherBeyond.net.

If you or someone you know, is experiencing mental health problems, please take a look at our mental health and wellbeing page for information, advice and signposting to local and national support organisations.

Did you know…

• Men accounted for three quarters of suicide deaths in 2018 with 4,903 male deaths compared to 1,604 female deaths.
  
  
• Men aged 45 to 49 years old had the highest age specific suicide rate in 2018 (27.1 deaths per 100,000 men).

 
Office for National Statistics - Suicides in the UK: 2018 registrations