Men in Sheds project supports Anti Bullying Week

Men in Sheds project supports Anti Bullying Week

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust are proud to support Anti Bullying Week 2022 through a variety of projects, including our award-winning programme, Men in Sheds. 

This year, Anti Bullying Week is taking place from Monday 14th – Friday 18th November, with the theme, Reach Out.

Men in Sheds recently won the Health and Wellbeing Awards – Group – at the Community Volunteer Awards at King George’s Hall.

The project is run in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council, with the aim of supporting men in our community to discuss their mental health and develop new skills in a safe environment. The group has 18 members, and they all meet up on a weekly basis, and have developed close friendships courtesy of the Men in Sheds programme.

 “It was amazing to win, I wasn’t expecting it, it was just something I thought that I had to nominate the group. Even just to be nominated was amazing, but to win it as well.

“It was a volunteering award, it was done in the community and it’s not just coming to Rovers and having a laugh as a group, it’s about helping the community and they needed to be nominated for that reason.

“Unfortunately circumstances-wise, the group have had to go through a lot in their own lives. There have been stories shared to say that things have happened but coming to this group has helped them where they can talk about any issues, and they know that someone is here to listen as well.

“I’m very proud and I couldn’t have asked for a better group, they are amazing lads.

“The beauty of this project is when we started, we didn’t know each other, and we became friends and a family, so that says it all.”

Ilyas Patel, Community Inclusion Manager at Blackburn Rovers Community Trust

Men in Sheds has helped improve the mental health of men across Blackburn with Darwen, and participants Mark, Paul, and Mark all enjoy the group and emphasised how proud they are that their football club, Blackburn Rovers, sees the importance and value in engaging and supporting with the community.

“We’re really pleased because we have done a lot of work and a lot of outreach work for the Apple Trees Centre and the Nightsafe project in Darwen as well. “Blackburn Rovers Community Trust does so much to support people who are struggling and the work they do in schools, it really is a club close to the community.

Paul

Mark added:

 “Without the support and funding from Blackburn Rovers Football Club, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Morrisons we wouldn’t be where we are without their help and support.”

Mark

While Paul concluded:

“We all support each other, we’re always there for each other and that’s the main thing. It’s a great pity that there is bullying in the World, there’s no need for it and there’s always friendship here, we’re always together and we’ll always help each other out.

“We really feel like we’re at home and we’re wanted, and it’s an amazing Community Trust.”

Paul