Monmouthshire County Council is to raise awareness of International Men’s Day with a series of activities taking place today.

This year’s campaign centres on mental health and the theme ‘Stop Male Suicide’.

 

Monmouthshire’s Youth Service employees will lead discussions with young people from Abergavenny’s King Henry VIII School.  Youth worker Darryl White said, “We’ve created a workshop to highlight male suicide and we’ll examine the contributing factors, while offering advice on talking about depression and directing people towards assistance. This should enable young people to link with key services or even a friend to help combat their concerns.”

 

Abergavenny Community Hub played host to a range of organisations providing support and prevention strategies. Men’s health screening advice will be available including bowel cancer screening and while information will be provided on sight checks for older people. 

The Healthy Homes Project – delivered by the South East Wales Energy Agency — will give guidance on maintaining and improving people’s health with energy efficient measures to make homes warmer, drier and more affordable.  Staff from the South Wales Fire & Rescue talked of the importance of home fire safety checks.

 

Monmouthshire’s cabinet member with responsibility for social care, Councillor Geoff Burrows said, “The objectives of International Men’s Day include a focus on male health and its theme for 2016 – Stop Male Suicide – recognises that across the globe far too many men take their own lives.  We need to work together to reverse the pattern of male ill-health and suicide.”