Sit Down With: The Proper Blokes Club

Image courtesy of The Proper Blokes Club

The Proper Blokes Club have been doing some excellent work in the local area, and their dedication and vision of 'breaking the stigma of men's mental health' has seen many people meet up for support and getting men talking. We recently spoke with the Proper Blokes Club to find out how they got started: "The idea came about around nine years ago, just before my eldest was born. I had a relationship break down and had been in and out her life in the past nine years, due to being in and out of court. I finally got the support I needed from the NHS, and then started a Facebook page talking about my experiences, and walking, and then started a group."

A big part of the group's appeal, is their meet ups for walks in the evenings, which is a fantastic way for people to meet and share their stories: "We are currently doing walks in Southwark," the Proper Mens Club said: "We meet on a Sunday at 6:30pm, Thursday's at 6:00pm, Greenwich on Mondays 7:00pm and also Wallington at 6:30pm."

The fans reaction to the group has been well received, and the group would love to see some future involvement from the players in the future: "The response from the fans has been amazing. I think we need a little more from the players (hopefully) to push the work out to more local lads that need support, as it’s a great way to use their influence for a fantastic local cause and to help the fans. To be fair, I was tagging Millwall in everything I have done, seeing as they do so much for the local community and since they have been in contact, they have been really supportive. Millwall have won Fan Club of the Year awards on more than one occasion, so that tells you the great work all these fans are willing to do in the community."

We asked what are the plans for the group, and what they would like to see in the future, and they are aiming high: "In the future I would love to see a walk in every London borough, but also I think there is opportunity in working with young lads in the prevention side."

The Proper Blokes Club have regular meets and are regular visitors at Millwall Football Club's Coffee Mornings on Wednesdays. For more information, check them out on social media at @BlokesClub.