Continuing A Positive Connection

Our successful men’s group, Connect, has been running since 2018, and now, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, the future of Connect is secure for the coming year.

Connect primarily supports men from ethnically diverse communities during their most challenging times, aiming to empower them to take action on their health and mental wellbeing by helping them to:

Build social networks

Connect with their communities

Build confidence and self-esteem

Exercise control over their lives

Through our work, we have observed that single men, especially those in deprived areas, are often disconnected from community life, which can be damaging to their mental health as a result deprives communities of their potential. We believe that engaging and supporting men to value themselves and their potential contributions can lead to positive changes both for individuals and their communities.

Our goal is to provide men aged 40 to 65 living in Leeds’s most disadvantaged areas (Chapeltown, Harehills, Gipton, Seacroft) with opportunities to protect their mental and physical health. We aim to reduce depression, loneliness, and the risk of suicide, fostering a sense of pride and positive contribution to their communities. Our twice weekly Connect sessions bring new and existing members together to develop social connections and friendships.

Activities will be tailored to their interests, including cooking and sharing meals, bushcraft, discussions, music-making, sports, ‘looking after you’ sessions, confidence building, and stress management. We want to support the development of sustainable relationships, social networks, and peer support systems.

Connect meets twice a week at The Reginald Centre, and is a relaxed and informal group, and free to join. You can find full details of the meet ups here.

Some feedback from our users:

“I enjoy attending Connect at FGF to socialise and support mental health.”

“I attend Connect to meet others with different outlooks. We participate in events, performances, and go on trips. We’ve even built an allotment shed from old doors together.”