Following his friends suicide, Shaun Cook took it upon himself to create a walking group for men in Caerphilly known as Men. Talk. Walk.
In aid of World Mental Health Day we turn our attention to an extraordinary community in the heart of South Wales.
Image: Shaun Cook, founder of Men. Walk. Talk
On top of experiencing immense loss after his friend took his own life, Shaun, 34, explained the loneliness he experienced during COVID-19 also spurred him on to create the group. During the pandemic, Shaun remarked that he spent a lot of time away from his family to shield his asthmatic daughter and he found walking and connecting with nature gave him time to decompress.
Shaun said: ‘I spent a lot of time on my own during Covid to shield my daughter. The only thing I could really do was come out and walk and try and clear the mind.
‘During Covid, my Nan passed away. Just being out in nature was a help – especially being in South Wales, with all the cycle routes and the walking routes, the beautiful views.’
Alongside getting people outdoors, Men. Talk. Walk also looks to helping men create long lasting friendships where they’re able to freely talk about how they feel. The group uses the National Cycle network – an area comprised of off-road paths – across Caerphilly. This means the 150 men who have joined the community can speak freely, away from the judgemental eyes of society.
Research from the Priory Group – a provider of mental health care in the UK – shows 77% of men have suffered with symptoms of mental health conditions including anxiety, stress or depression, yet 40% have never spoken to anyone about it.
What’s more, the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is combatting stress in the workplace and the research from Priory shows the biggest cause of mental health issues in men’s lives are work related (32%).
Against this backdrop, Shaun shares his own experience: ‘An old manager of mine, who was like a role model to us youngsters when we worked with him, ended his own life. I was in bed one night with my wife and I said, “I want to try and help as many men as I can with their mental health.”
‘A lot of the men who do join us come for their mental health and we talk about it – a problem shared is a problem halved.
‘90% of our walks start or end on the [National] Cycle Network. Just being out together and seeing the friendships forming, it just feels fantastic and makes me feel so proud.’
Christine Boston, director of Sustrans Cymru, added: ‘Shaun’s powerful story will hit home with many people and highlights just how vital it is to have an accessible, free space, such as the National Cycle Network, where people can come together and experience the benefits of being outdoors and connecting with nature.
‘Men. Talk. Walk is proof of the friendships that can form in such spaces and an apt reminder that the National Cycle Network is there for everybody – and is for far more than cycling.
‘We are delighted Shaun is harnessing its potential to bring people together to reap the benefits of exploring outdoors and hope his group encourages others to follow suit.’
At Sustrans, staff and volunteers work to care for and improve the National Cycle Network.
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