Andy's Man Club founder provides health and well-being support to hospital staff

Luke, who founded ‘Andy’s Man Club’, visited Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) to host a series of events as part of the trust’s health and wellbeing offer.

Known for his journey from professional rugby player to mental health campaigner,Luke hosted three sessions for 160 hospital workers with storytelling and practical advice.

His journey as a mental health advocate began after the loss of his brother-in-law Andrew Roberts, who took his own life aged 23 in early 2016, which propelled Luke to establish Andy’s Man Club, a supportive community that encourages men to speak openly about their mental health struggles without fear or judgement.

It now provides safe spaces for 3,000 men across the UK to share their experiences and seek support.at more than 150 groups.

Throughout the day, Luke conducted both face-to-face and virtual sessions, ensuring colleagues across all three hospital sites and working elsewhere had the opportunity to participate. His presentations covered topics including breaking down stigmas around mental health, building personal resilience and empowerment.

An exclusive session was also held for the Trust’s Estates and Facilities colleagues, a male dominated workforce directorate, to address the unique mental health challenges faced by men and emphasise the importance of open communication and peer support.

Zoe Lintin, chief people officer at DBTH, said: “We are very grateful to Luke for hosting three outstanding events for our people. His powerful message resonated profoundly with our colleagues, who undoubtedly took away valuable insights from this experience. Luke's ability to connect and offer actionable advice on managing mental health and fostering personal growth is truly invaluable.

“Our Health and Wellbeing service is a cornerstone of our commitment to maintaining a supportive and inclusive work environment for all our teams at DBTH, where colleagues can flourish both personally and professionally. This event highlights our ongoing commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our team, which in turn enhances the exceptional care we provide to our patients.”

This visit was organised as part of the trust’s extensive and award-winning health and wellbeing service.