The former salesman who is helping Wigan men with mental health issues

Mark Smith established ManLeigh, a not-for-profit community hub where men can socialise and discuss their mental health, in April last year.

The underlying idea behind the group is that it is informal, offering a space for people to come and enjoy themselves without being pressured into unpacking their trauma in an intense environment.

Wigan borough was revealed to have an above-average suicide rate between 2019 and 2021 but ManLeigh has already helped around 70 men.

Smith said: “These guys have already attended Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, other support groups where they are designed for that sit down, pour your guts out, tell the world how you feel sort of thing. They’ve done that.

“This is an alternative. This is coming back and learning those social skills, having a bit of banter, learning to sit down and have a chat. Chances are, there’s going to be a handful to 10 or 11 of us here. Some guys are relieved they can walk in and not be overwhelmed. We’re here to help stop them from slipping.”

ManLeigh pitches up at various shops and community centres throughout the week. The interview was given while Mark was at St Mary the Virgin Church.

His own mental health nosedived when his infant son died of a rare heart condition in 2000, and he initially found support to be insufficient.

He said: “The only option I had was to tough it out. There was very little help. There were organisations that would help you, but the waiting list was astronomical and everyone wanted large sums of money to help.”

Over the years, through positive counselling experiences, training as a life coach, and foster caring for children, the Essex native sharpened his sense for how to care for people.

“A lot of the guys open up slowly,” he said. “It’s like onion skin. Every time they come in, another layer comes off. They won’t necessarily walk through the door and completely unload straight away. They might come a little tight-lipped and just give you a little bit of a nugget of what they’re about.

“Once they start to relax, that’s when the stories start coming out.”

ManLeigh has raised over £12,000 from grants and donations, including £9,925 from the Community Lottery Awards for All scheme.

Wigan Council and Leigh Rotary Club have also supported the cause.

Mark has given up his job to pursue ManLeigh full-time, taking a small salary from the donations to cover the bills, while he and his wife have contributed their savings towards it.

Within the next year, Smith hopes to establish a mini-hub with a pool table, a darts board, and a television.

In the longer term, the vision is to find a permanent home where they can sell second-hand items, thus creating shop roles for unemployed men, and have facilities like a kitchen and a launderette.