A new men’s peer support group has been launched to provide males with mental health or addiction challenges an opportunity to discuss issues and share their experiences with other men in situations similar to their own.

The Man Cave was set up by Viewpoint, a user involvement charity based in Welwyn Garden City, which believes that a modern male doesn’t fit into a box and that everybody has something valuable to share, no matter their background or what they have been through in life.

The project, which will be hosted via Zoom, offers four closed weekly support groups of up to six participants, ran for 12 weeks, providing a safe space for men to talk through the subjects that they may not always feel comfortable doing so in the outside world.

Its aim is to provide a space for the men of our community to drop by and relax in an environment where they can let go of any pretence, take off the mask they might wear in the outside world and talk about the things that truly affect them.

The groups will be hosted and supported by male facilitators from Viewpoint, who each have their own lived experience of mental health or addiction challenges themselves.

At the end of the 12 weeks the charity hopes that the participants will have gained new connections and will have found a network of peers to support their needs and will be able to maintain or improve their wellbeing through the continued support and advice of not only their fellow participants, but also via joining additional Viewpoint support groups, should they wish.

The first of the four groups will commence on Thursday, September 2, at 6pm, running for one hour; while the second group will begin on Friday, September 10, at 11am.

If you would like to make a booking for these groups or find out more about the charity you can visit: www.hertsviewpoint.co.uk.

Groups three and four will commence in October, the specific date is yet to be confirmed.