We are proud to announce the appointment of our first Ambassador, Francis Duku, as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting men’s mental health and encouraging more men to seek help.
Each week, we support over 250 clients through counselling, yet only around 20 per cent of those accessing our services are men. This highlights the continued barriers many men face when it comes to reaching out for support, and why tackling stigma remains so important to us.
Our founder, Sue Doughty, believes appointing an Ambassador is a key step forward.
“We must help men overcome the obstacles they face in asking for help. With role models such as Francis, we start to break down the stigma surrounding men seeking help.”
Francis is the founder of The Sports Circle, a membership service that harnesses the power of sport and exercise to create better health outcomes for its members and their communities. It enables members to be more proactive in taking care of their health by providing information, positive health messaging and access to health and wellness services that aren’t always easy to reach..A former semi-professional footballer, playing for more than 15 years with teams including Bromley and Ebbsfleet, Francis is also the CEO of football’s Non-League Day, an annual celebration of semi-professional and grassroots football in the UK.
Speaking about becoming our Ambassador, Francis shared his passion for promoting mental wellbeing and encouraging open conversations around mental health.
Our mental fitness affects the quality of not only our own lives but those closest to us. No-one is immune from life’s challenges. It is a strength, not a weakness, to seek support when it is needed. I am delighted to support Sue and Westmeria in helping to deliver that message.
We have been established for over 20 years and remain committed to providing accessible and affordable counselling regardless of financial circumstances. We offer counselling by donation, with sessions available from as little as £6, ensuring support is available to those who need it most.
This appointment comes at a time of growing national focus on men’s mental health. In November, the first Government Health Strategy for England focusing on men’s and boys’ health was launched, addressing both mental and physical health challenges.
The strategy aims to expand access to support services, encourage preventative self-care and challenge stigma so that every man feels empowered to reach out for help. It also includes a £3.6 million investment in suicide prevention projects and a partnership with the Premier League to help remove stigma around mental health.
We are proud to play our part in this wider movement and look forward to working with Francis to continue raising awareness, challenging stigma and supporting men on their journey to better mental wellbeing.