That's Food and Drink: How Vegetarians Can Step Up Their Game with Tasty ...

That's Food and Drink: How Vegetarians Can Step Up Their Game with Tasty ...: For many vegetarians, cheese is a beloved staple that adds richness and flavour to countless dishes.  However, whether you’re exploring plan...

The UK Talk Club: Promoting Mental Health Through Open Conversations

Mental health has become one of the most pressing issues of our time, with millions of people in the UK and beyond grappling with challenges like anxiety, depression, and stress. 

While awareness around mental health has grown significantly, finding effective ways to address these issues remains crucial. 

One such initiative making a real difference is the Talk Club, a UK-based mental health promotion scheme that’s empowering individuals to open up and support one another.

What Is Talk Club?

Talk Club is a talking and listening movement designed to improve mental fitness. Founded in 2019 by Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe, the initiative aims to create safe spaces where men and women can share their feelings, connect with others, and support one another. At its core, Talk Club is about prevention—encouraging people to talk about their mental health before it reaches a crisis point.

How Talk Club Works

The structure of Talk Club is simple yet profoundly effective. Members meet in small groups, either in person or online, to discuss how they’re feeling. Each session begins with a simple question: “How are you out of 10?” This scoring system allows participants to reflect on their mental state and share their feelings in a structured way.

The sessions are guided by clear rules:

No judgment – Everyone’s feelings are valid, and no one is criticized or dismissed.

Confidentiality – What’s shared in the group stays in the group.

Equality – Every participant has an equal opportunity to speak and be heard.

Talk Club isn’t about offering solutions or professional therapy—it’s about creating a space for honest conversations and mutual support.

Why Talk Club Matters

Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health

One of the biggest barriers to seeking help is the stigma associated with mental health issues. Talk Club normalizes conversations about mental well-being, helping individuals feel less alone and more understood.

Encouraging Preventative Action

By encouraging regular check-ins, Talk Club promotes early intervention. Talking about feelings and challenges can prevent small issues from escalating into larger problems.

Building a Supportive Community

Talk Club fosters a sense of belonging. Participants often form deep connections with others who share similar struggles, creating a support network that extends beyond the sessions.

Focusing on Mental Fitness

Talk Club takes a proactive approach by emphasizing mental fitness, much like physical fitness. This perspective encourages participants to regularly care for their mental health, rather than waiting until they’re in crisis.

Expanding Reach and Impact

While Talk Club started as a movement for men, it has since expanded to include women and specialized groups for different needs. The initiative has partnered with workplaces, schools, and community organisations to reach more people and promote mental health awareness.

In addition to regular sessions, Talk Club offers:

Online Resources – Tools and guides to help individuals reflect on and improve their mental well-being.

Fundraising Initiatives – Events like fitness challenges and charity runs to support mental health projects.

Corporate Programmes – Helping businesses foster a culture of openness and support for employees.

Real Stories, Real Impact

Talk Club has already made a significant difference in the lives of its members. Participants often report feeling lighter, more connected, and better equipped to handle life’s challenges after attending sessions. For many, Talk Club has been a lifeline, offering hope and support when they needed it most.

How to Get Involved

Joining Talk Club is simple. Visit their website to find a group near you or sign up for an online session. If there isn’t a group in your area, you can even start your own with the support of Talk Club’s resources and training.

Conclusion

The UK Talk Club is more than just a mental health scheme—it’s a movement that’s changing lives. By encouraging open conversations and fostering supportive communities, Talk Club is helping individuals build resilience and improve their mental fitness. In a world where mental health challenges are increasingly common, initiatives like Talk Club remind us of the power of connection and the importance of simply asking, “How are you?”

For anyone looking to take a step toward better mental health, Talk Club offers a simple yet powerful starting point. Because sometimes, the most profound change begins with a conversation.

https://talkclub.org.

That's Food and Drink: The Growing Concern: Why Are So Many Unable to Coo...

That's Food and Drink: The Growing Concern: Why Are So Many Unable to Coo...: In today’s fast-paced, modern world, the ability to prepare nutritious meals has become a challenge for many. Despite an abundance of inform...

That's Food and Drink: The Wonderful Impact of Marine Collagen on the Hum...

That's Food and Drink: The Wonderful Impact of Marine Collagen on the Hum...: In recent years, marine collagen has become a buzzword in the health and wellness world, and for good reason.  Derived from the skin, scales...

That's Food and Drink: Hygiene and Allergy Risks of Dog and Cat-Friendly ...

That's Food and Drink: Hygiene and Allergy Risks of Dog and Cat-Friendly ...: In recent years, pet-friendly restaurants have become increasingly popular, offering a space where owners can dine without leaving their bel...

That's Food and Drink: Porridge Wars: UK Government Advertising Ban Targe...

That's Food and Drink: Porridge Wars: UK Government Advertising Ban Targe...: New regulations due to take effect in October 2025 will restrict advertisements for food and drinks deemed “less healthy” in a bid to addres...

The cost of inequality - charity report finds £10.9 billion ‘activity gap’

Activity Alliance has released new research revealing the social value in disabled people being active and the societal cost of inequality. 

On International Day of Disabled People (3 December), the national charity and leading voice issued a call on policy and decision makers to ensure all disabled people feel they belong in sports and activities.

Building on Sport England’s recent report for the whole population, the charity worked with the same experts, State of Life, on a specific assessment of disabled people’s activity. 

It found there is £6,200 social value per disabled person per year if supported to meet the official Chief Medical Officers’ (CMO) guidelines of 150 plus minutes a week. 

This works out three to four times’ the value of non-disabled people being active. To give a comparison of size, this figure is almost equivalent to being employed rather than unemployed, which has a social value of £7,000.

Add the figures for active with moderate and light activity for disabled people, it shows the societal cost of inequality equates to at least a £10.9 billion ‘activity gap’.

The figures show helping disabled people to take part in even light activity could make a huge difference, measuring £4,400 per person per year in social value. Whereas light activity does not have the same impact for non-disabled people. 

The charity says this is even more revealing when looking at disabled people’s activity habits as light activity does not officially count towards weekly active minutes in the CMO guidelines.

Currently disabled people or those with long-term health conditions are twice as likely to be physically ‘inactive’ as non-disabled adults (41% vs 21% non-disabled adults, Sport England, Active Lives Adult Survey 2022-23). And only 43% of disabled people feel they have the chance to be as active as they want to be, compared to 69% of non-disabled people (Activity Alliance Annual Disability and Activity Survey 2023/24).

On the same day the charity releases its latest strategy ‘We all belong’, its Honorary President Tanni, Baroness Grey-Thompson said: “We all belong in sports and activities. Yet many disabled children and adults don’t feel they do. At school, in the local park or working out in a nearby gym, we all have the right to welcoming, inclusive, and accessible opportunities.

“The reality is society remains an unfair, unjust place for many disabled people. Every single day there are stories up and down our country of disabled children and adults missing out on the joy that being active can bring. We must not accept this.

“Disabled people must be included in conversations, listened to more, and their feedback acted upon. Policies and systems in our society need to work for and include everybody, not just the privileged few.”

The charity’s new strategy presents a vision of a future where all disabled people feel they belong in sports and activities. It outlines three ambitions to drive change:

Sports and activities meet disabled people’s needs

Disabled people influence campaigning, policy and decision making

Address inequalities by working with others

Adam Blaze, CEO at Activity Alliance, said: “Today we make a rallying call for policy makers and allies to stand with us, take notice and drive meaningful change as we launch our new strategy.

“These latest figures say it all - clearly highlighting there's a huge value in disabled people being active and even by doing small bouts of movement, significantly more than non-disabled people."

He went on to say: "More effort must be given to breaking down the barriers so disabled people feel light activity like walking down the road and playing in local parks is achievable.

“For disabled people to be more active, it takes a wider movement to change systemic barriers that prevent it.Whether in health, transport or education, policy makers play a vital role in ensuring more disabled people feel that they belong.”

Will Watt, State of Life founder, said: "This research builds on our recent work for Sport England, by specifically exploring the wellbeing impact of activity for disabled people. 

"At a time of constrained resources, it is important to invest where you can make the biggest difference. This report makes clear that activity,  even if that is light activity, has the potential to make a very big difference to health and wellbeing in the UK."

To learn more visit https://www.activityalliance.org.uk