More than 50 new men in Leeds attend Andy's Man Club in just three weeks as group grows to largest in country

A father and son duo who set up Andy’s Man Club in Leeds are on a mission to save the lives of men across the city.

It has helped save the lives of more than 800 men across the country since it was set up.

The club was formed in early 2016 by Halifax rugby league player Luke Ambler after his brother-in-law took his own life.

Since then, the group has expanded across the country and now has hundreds of men who attend every week.

Andy Wilson, 31, and his dad Neil, 59, visited a group in Halifax three years ago after Andy’s personal struggles with mental health.

After the meeting, Andy vowed to his dad that ‘Leeds needs one of these groups’ and set about on the process of setting one up.

-> How Andy’s Man Club has helped save the lives of more than 800 men across country in less than four yearsOn the first group meeting in Leeds, nine men walked through the door.

However, the group has grown at an astonishing rate and on Monday March 3, 80 people attended - the highest so far, including more than 50 men who had never attended before February.

The Leeds branch of Andy’s Man Club meets weekly on a Monday night at Leeds College of Building at 7pm.

Andy explains what happens next: “First, everyone who walks through the door has a coffee and can grab a biscuit.

“Next, we do a bit of an introduction to the group and what it is all about before splitting into smaller groups.

“We throw a ball around and talk about any issues we may have, along with something positive.

“Everything said in the group stays in the group.

“We have some people who just listen but anyone can talk as much or as little as they like.”

The group discusses a set of questions each week as a set of small groups of around 10 people.

-> Leeds man talked down from bridge on New Year’s Day attends Andy’s Man Club with the hero ‘who saved his life’Andy said he couldn’t believe how quickly the numbers have expanded, with more and more men arriving each week for help.

Since coverage in the Yorkshire Evening Post in a series of features in early February, the group has expanded at a rapid rate.

Andy believes many men have reached out and turned up who may never have known about the group.

On Monday night, 18 men made the step to walk through the door who had never attended the group before.

Andy added: "It is going very well.

"The feedback has been great from the new lads.

"It would be something else if we hit the hundred mark and be the first club in the country to.

"It is all about reaching that one man.

"Who knows what position they might have been if they had not seen about our group.

"We have given them hope."

The Leeds branch of Andy’s Man Club meets weekly on a Monday night at Leeds College of Building at 7pm apart from bank holidays.

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