A free weekly men’s walk and talk project funded by a London council launched in East London last month and will run until the end of January.
Barking and Dagenham Council have given funding of £10,000 to The Proper Blokes Club organisation, who use the money to introduce a free walking group supporting men’s mental health and encouraging physical activity.
The group is open to any man who is at least 18 years old and the group will be meeting outside Eastbrookend Country Park Tea Room every Sunday.
Although men’s mental health month has come to an end, both The Proper Blokes Club organisation and Barking and Dagenham Council acknowledged the importance of continuing to have support systems in place for those who need it.
The council said that “mental health support is more important than ever” and they are proud to support local organisations that are building “stronger, healthier, more connected neighbourhoods.”
The council will be using The Neighbourhood Fund, which is funded by their Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) because they believe that “by handing the decision-making power to residents, the NCIL fund ensures that funding goes where it’s most needed.”
The Proper Blokes Club is a men’s community led organisation that was started by Scott Johnson, 38 in 2020.
Johnson initially created the group to support struggling fathers but due to its success made the decision to expand to all men that are seeking support.
Johnson plans on expanding the organisation and creating walk and talk groups “anywhere where there are men.”
But for now, he is focusing on London and is proud of the progress he has made so far.
He said: “I have done a lot with very little.”
Johnson’s aim for the walk and talk groups is to hopefully break down the stigma surrounding men’s mental health one walk at a time, and provide men with a safe environment to talk openly about how they really feel.
The organisation has orchestrated walks all over London and are now coming to Dagenham as part of their plans to start walk and talk groups in all London boroughs by the end of 2025.
Featured image credit: Scott Johnson
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