Mental health: 'Men can really let their guard down on our walks'

'Men can really let their guard down on our walks' "They can really let their guard down with us," says the founder of a men's mental health initiative in London.

Scott Johnson, 37, from Bermondsey, south London, started The Proper Blokes Club CIC in September 2020.

It now supports around 500 men at weekly walk and talk sessions in 15 locations around the capital.

"The trajectory has gone through the roof now," he said. "And the more it grows, the more it is helping people who need the support."

'Making a difference' The organisation runs evening walks in Finchley, Greenwich, Hornchurch, Redbridge, Rickmansworth, Romford, Southwark, Streatham, Sutton, Upminster, Uxbridge, Wallington and Woolwich.

"Some people come once a month, some people go to different walks," Mr Johnson said.

"The way the model works is I go initially to start a walk for the first six to eight weeks, and then I identify a walk leader, or two or three that are coming every week that are committed to making a difference in their communities."

Mr Johnson said the men then take on the role of leading the walk and acting as a point of contact for the group, while he continues the admin and marketing.

"Once we find people to lead those individual groups, that frees me up then to go to a new area and then start a new walk there," he said.

He added that the first three years he was running the organisation, its growth was slower and more organic.

Since leaving his job and taking on the Proper Blokes Club full time, it's trajectory has gone through the roof, he said.

'Success' "It's been amazing," he said. "It's had its challenges, but it's been great seeing it grow.

"And the more it grows, the more it is helping people who need the support."

Mr Johnson said he rarely takes the time to step back and appreciate how proud he is of the group's achievements.

"Seeing a new person come down is like a mini success," he said. "I'm proud of all those guys that come down."

Mr Johnson said one of the most common reasons men came to the clubs was work-related issues, but there was a real range in discussion topics.

"Some guys just like coming down and talking to a new group of guys, where they can be a bit more relaxed," he said.

"They don't need to put up the facade of whatever they are in front of their friends and family, they can really let their guard down with us - be the real them.

"It's all done at their own pace as well.

"You could come for two years before you say anything that's really bothering you, or you could say it on the first night, it doesn't make a difference.

"You're never going to be pushed to do something you don't want to do.

"What I find is it does happen quite quickly, because the lads are so relaxed in their conversation, it brings the guard down with some of these new guys and conversations happen quite quickly."

Mr Johnson said the popularity of the walks pushed him to launch daytime drop-in sessions and a weekly dads' only event in Greenwich, with a creche for children.

"I'm quite impatient, so if I've got an idea I need to get it moving," he said.

"As soon as I can get these things up and running, the more people I can help and support."

'Football to start the conversation' Mr Johnson hopes that the New Year will bring further expansion, with a new project called Talk FC.

"It's using football to start the conversation," he said. "It's a real leveller."

On Thursday he will be walking approximately 100km (62 miles) in a route that takes in football clubs across London, starting at Charlton Athletic and ending at Millwall Football Club.

He hopes the 24-hour walk will raise £1,500 for equipment for Talk FC, so that it can begin sessions in February 2025.

He hopes men will be referred into the club, which will operate an eight-week programme.

At the end, he hopes the men will then join one of the walk and talk groups.

This pipeline, he said, was inspired by his own experience of counselling.

"There's no real exit strategy," he said. "I think that's one of the things that's a little bit missing.

"A lot of people come out of that still needing the support, and they're a little bit lost."

He hopes that the weekly walk and talk sessions will act as an exit strategy for anyone that completes the Talk FC programme.

"They can carry on that process of getting that support they need," he said.

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