New group in Halifax caring for women’s wellbeing

The Women’s Wellbeing Group meet at The Piece Hall every Tuesday evening, and is a safe space for women to meet, talk and support each other.

Michelle Ellerby, lead facilitator for the Women’s Wellbeing Club, Halifax, said: “Nearly four years ago I had a nervous breakdown and my nephew, Luke Ambler, had started Andy’s Man Club.

“I messaged him one day and said ‘I need to pick your brains, I want to start something similar to Andy’s Man Club for women, because there is nothing’.

“The counselling I was offered wasn’t right at all, and he said he’d put me in touch with the Womens wellbeing group CIC. Adam Fletcher and Chris Martin, founders of the group, we discussed and it was agreed I could start one in Halifax.

“We were going to start it as we were coming into lockdown, so we ended up doing weekly meetings online with women all over the country, chatting about anything and everything.

“The questions are exactly the same as Andy’s Man Club - how’s your week been, anything to get off your chest, and about the positives from the week.

“We got told towards the end of lockdown that we could meet face-to-face because we were classed as a mental health charity, so we got hold of Carrie France at the Piece Hall, who offered us a room which we love and is now our home, every Tuesday evening, starting at 7pm and finishing whenever it finishes.

“At the moment we have around half-a-dozen at the group, but even if it’s just two of us, we would still be there every week.”

Michelle said the feedback from women attending the group since it began has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s been absolutely marvellous,” she said. “One of the ladies, her husband got in touch and said he thought his wife needed to come.

“Prior To lockdown we were offered a room in Brighouse to hold our meetings whilst we found our home in Halifax this led us to start Brighouse’s Women’ Wellbeing group, which is up and running.

“As the groups grow, we’ll hopefully get more facilitators.

“It’s just getting the message out that I don’t want people to think it’s just to help with people’s mental health, there are groups that do that, we just want somewhere people can come whatever their faith, things are said in confidence, we laugh together, we cry together, we have a cup of coffee together and I’ve always said, if you’re not laughing when it’s home time, I’ve not done my job right.

“Hopefully you start looking forward to going because you’re building this relationship with other women.”

When asked what message she would send to anyone considering attending a group like theirs, Michelle said: “I’d say we’re non-judgmental, it’s open to anyone over 18 who classes themselves as a female.

“Come and have a cup of coffee with us. If you like it, fantastic, we’ll see you next week, if not, you’ve only lost a couple of hours of your day.

“You’ve got nothing to lose.

“You could be sat at home, pulling your hair out, thinking ‘I’ve got nobody I can talk to’.

“We don’t discuss religion, politics or medication, it’s just a peer-to-peer support group.

“As many women as men are committing suicide because they’ve got nobody to talk to.

“All we want to say is we’re here, you can join us online every week if you can’t make it in person, we don’t charge a penny to come, come and have a chat.”

For more information on this group or one nearer you, email [email protected] or [email protected].