An award-winning community group is gearing up to hold 12 sessions encouraging men to connect with their “personal history in Salford and experience of the city” ahead of the centenary celebrations in April.
Salford’s community group of the year, Talk About It Mate, will run the workshops on Mondays and Fridays from 10am to 12pm at Eccles Library as part of a campaign called ‘Men of Salford.’
The initiative aims to bring men together to explore Salford’s identity through conversation, shared experience and a sense of community, with the first session set to take place on 23 February.
Rather than following a fixed programme, the project has been designed to remain open, organic and participant-led, allowing the group itself to shape its direction. The project will culminate in a community celebration event on 21 April as part of the wider Salford 100 celebrations.
Mike Richard, the group’s CEO and founder, explained that the men taking part will not be “limited” in what they can create and will be asked how they would like the sessions to run.
“We could use art, we could use photography, but we are not restricting what this could be. We have the time and the space for men to come together and they are going to have a cup of tea and biscuits and of course, get mental health support.
“But, in terms of output, we will probably put on some kind of event at our group in Walkden on 21 April, to show off what we have done.”
Talk About It Mate is inviting referrals from local organisations and professionals, with space for up to 15 participants at each session. The organisation is also welcoming interest from guest speakers, community visitors and local initiatives who may wish to contribute to sessions and share their work.
Mike added: “Men of Salford is about creating a space where men can come together to share their stories of this city, its past, its present, and the future they want to see. Salford has always been shaped by the people who live here, and this project is about honouring those voices while strengthening the connections that help communities thrive.”
Sessions will be run by Dale Sheridan, who explained that the City’s 100th birthday provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on how attitudes towards mental health have changed.
He said: “As our understanding of mental health evolves, we should also celebrate how far we’ve come over the past 100 years. Asylums became hospitals. Derogatory labels became medical terms. And what was once hidden suffering is now finding its way into spaces like men’s groups, where we can talk about it – mate.”
More information is available on the group’s website.
