International Men's Day

On November 19, International Men’s Day celebrates worldwide the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities. It highlights positive role models and raises awareness of men’s well-being.

The theme for 2024 is “Positive Male Role Models”.

In the UK, the team have adopted three key themes that allow as many organisations and people to take part.

Making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys
Raising awareness and/or funds for charities supporting men and boys’ wellbeing
Promoting a positive conversation about men, manhood and masculinity

International Men's Day is a global grassroots movement that invites every man, woman, girl and boy in the world to come together and celebrate men and boys in all their diversity. It gives everyone in the UK who wants to celebrate and mark International Men’s Day the opportunity to help work towards IMD UK’s shared themes and the six international key pillars which are applied equally to men and boys irrespective of their age, ability, social background, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, religious belief and relationship status.

Events at the University

International Men's Day 2024: ‘It’s OKAY to Talk’ with ANDYSMANCLUB

ANDYSMANCLUB are a men’s suicide prevention charity offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the UK and online to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation. In this event, they talk about why suicide is an issue for men and what can be done about it.

Content note: this event will discuss mental health and suicide.

This event is now available to watch on our Inclusion Matters Library.

Other Events

Talk Club at Bristol Central Library

A talk and listen group for men.

Thursday 7 November 10am - 11:30 am, Bristol Central Library, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5TL.

Men?! - The Bristol Improv Theatre

Men?! is an improvised show that features a cast of performers from our community and beyond, giving voice to their varied experiences as men.

Saturday 16 November, 8pm (7:30 pm doors), The Bristol Improv Theatre, 50 Saint Pauls Road, Bristol, BS8 1LP.

Men’s Wellbeing Walk & Talk

A short stroll around Eastville Park for men's wellbeing.

Sunday 17 November, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm, Eastville Park (opposite shell garage entrance), Fishponds Road, Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6XA

International Men's Day UK Events

Find out about more events organised across the UK and online for International Men's Day.

Talk Club

Talk Club is a talking and listening club for men, offering talking groups, sports groups and therapy to help keep you mentally fit.

There are many Talk Clubs that happen around Bristol, and one of these is held at the University of Bristol 's Beacon House every two weeks on Saturdays 2-4pm

Find out more about Prostate Matters

Prostate Matters took place during the week of 20 June 2022 to increase men's awareness of prostate cancer, the benefits of early detection and to get men talking about their health more widely. The campaign was led by the University's Occupational Health with support from Prostate Cancer UK.

Andy's Man Club

ANDYSMANCLUB are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online.

There are a couple of ANDYSMANCLUB groups that take place in Bristol.

You may also be interested in Movember

Since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world, challenging the status quo, shaking up men’s health research and transforming the way health services reach and support men.

You can join the University of Bristol challenge page, as well as viewing former year's challenges, and find out more about the events they are running.

Resources and Training

ZSA Suicide Awareness Training
The ZSA Suicide Awareness Training is a short online course which aims to give you the skills and confidence to help someone who may be considering suicide. It also works toward breaking the stigma around suicide, encouraging people to have open conversations about their mental health. This course can be found on the Develop platform.
Mental Health Awareness at Work
The focus in this Develop training session is on knowing more about common mental health issues, challenging stigma, tips on self-care and supporting others, and accessing support.
Staff Counselling Sessions
Talk to someone neutral and independent about personal or work-related problems, including: mental and physical health conditions, anxiety, depression, assertiveness, building resilience, dealing with conflict and acceptable workplace behaviour, loss and transition, organisational change, working or personal relationships, personal and professional development, stress management, critical incident and post-traumatic stress processing.
Staff Counselling Wellbeing Events
The University's Staff Counselling service runs a number of sessions to support mental health and wellbeing. Current events include Breathing Space, Mindfulness Informed Anxiety Reduction Course, Parting Words, Time2Talk (a space for Student/Faculty Education Administrators), and Senior Tutor Group.
Employee Assistance Programme
The Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a free 24/7 counselling and information service provided by Care first for University of Bristol staff.
Further Wellbeing Support
See the University's dedicated webpage of resources for how you can further support your mental health and wellbeing.