Andy's Man Club Halifax receives The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

Andy's Man Club Halifax has been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
Facilitators at Andy's Man Club HalifaxFacilitators at Andy's Man Club Halifax
Facilitators at Andy's Man Club Halifax

Set up following the tragic, unexpected death of Andy Roberts in 2016, ANDYSMANCLUB is a men’s mental health charity operating non-professional, peer-to-peer support groups on a Monday night for Men aged over 18 in 48 locations nationwide.

These groups are aimed at promoting openness and breaking stigma surrounding Male Suicide and Mental Health in the hope fewer families will have to go through the pain and anguish that the Roberts family suffered five years ago.

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On the night of the group’s creation in 2016, Luke Ambler, ANDYSMANCLUB’s co-founder and Andy’s brother-in-law, was interviewed by Sky Sports and spoke of his nervousness at opening the group and his worry that nobody would turn up. He also laid out a vision to have 10 clubs open nationally within five years of our first night in Halifax.

Fast forward five years and ANDYSMANCLUB is open in 50 locations across Britain with a network of over 250 volunteers, many of whom first attended ANDYSMANCLUB as group users.

Upon receiving the award, Luke said: “We are delighted that our volunteers have received national recognition for the fantastic work they do on a daily basis in order to combat Male Suicide and the stigma surrounding Men’s Mental Health.

"When myself and Andy’s Mum Elaine started ANDYSMANCLUB back in 2016, all we wanted to do was stop one family from going through what we did when Andy passed away.

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"On our first night back in June 2016 we had 9 men walk through our door in Halifax, fast forward exactly 5 years and on our most recent Monday night we had 726 nationwide. We want to keep helping men and this award only motivates us further to keep going from strength to strength and keep helping that one man in their hour of need.”

ANDYSMANCLUB is one of 241 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year.

The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.

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