Nottinghamshire bus operator launches miles of awareness for men’s mental health

Stagecoach East Midlands is inviting customers and communities across the region to help ‘Keep The Ball Rolling’ this November, as part of its partnership with Andy's Man Club and a campaign designed to raise miles of awareness for men's mental health.

The campaign has been launched to coincide with Men's Mental Health Awareness Month, with Sean Gill from Andy's Man Club handing over a specially branded awareness football to Leigh Barker, a local bus driver and passionate advocate for the charity.

The ball will then begin a unique journey across the Stagecoach East Midlands bus network.

Inspired by the way a football is passed around during Andy's Man Club sessions to give every person the opportunity to speak, the awareness ball will travel from depot to depot, team to team, and role to role, helping to spark conversations about men's mental health along the way.

Matt Cranwell, Stagecoach East Midlands Managing Director said: "At Stagecoach East Midlands, we're committed to supporting the wellbeing of our people and the communities we serve. Through our partnership with Andy's Man Club, we've seen first-hand the difference that open and honest conversations can make in helping to break down stigma around men's mental health.

"Keep The Ball Rolling is a simple but powerful campaign that takes an important message into our depots, onto our buses and into communities across the East Midlands. Every mile the ball travels represents another opportunity to raise awareness, encourage conversation and remind someone that support is available.

“I’m incredibly proud to see Stagecoach helping to keep this conversation moving. If passing a ball from team to team gets people talking, checking in with each other and feeling more comfortable in opening up, then it’s doing exactly what we want it to do.”

The campaign is the latest chapter in Stagecoach East Midlands' growing partnership with Andy's Man Club, which began with a series of awareness initiatives across the region including specially branded buses carrying mental-health messages, community engagement events and awareness campaigns designed to encourage people to seek support when they need it.

Sean Gill, Andy’s Man Club Regional Lead - East of England, added: “What I love about this idea is that it takes something so simple and turns it into something that could have a massive impact.

“At Andy’s Man Club, we know that sometimes all it takes is one conversation to make a difference to someone’s life. The ball we pass around our groups gives every man the opportunity to speak, but just as importantly, it gives everyone the opportunity to listen.”

Find out more about Andy’s Man Club at www.andysmanclub.co.uk.