The Wells walking group helping men stop 'bottling everything up'
A weekly walking group has given men in one city the chance to escape the "pressure" of keeping their feelings "bottled up". More than 20 men now meet every Tuesday in Wells as part of the national Men Walking & Talking movement, which has seen groups spring up across the country. The group is open to all men living in the area, giving them a space to open up about their lives as they explore the nearby countryside. Neil Winterson, one of the original members of the Wells group, said it was "absolutely amazing" to have more than 20 people taking part.
Mr Winterson said the group spoke about "anything and everything" during the walks, adding: "It can be the weather, it can be the wife, it can be work, or it can be something a little deeper."Having suffered with anxiety, Mr Winterson said he had received "really good support" from other walkers. "It just makes you feel really normal, like you're not out there on your own," he added.
'Early therapy'
Having started with just one walk in Telford in 2021, Men Walking & Talking has expanded to towns and cities across England and Wales. There is no need to formally sign up to the group, nor is there any cost involved - the aim of all the groups is simply to give men space to open up and talk without judgement. Steve Chitty, who joined the group in February 2024 after suffering a period of anxiety and depression following a difficult event, said joining the walks was "effectively for me, early therapy".
He told the BBC that taking part had allowed him to admit he had been through something "in an environment where I know there will be no judgement". "[This] isn't necessarily always easy to do in an immediate social group when you've got people who have known you for years where you've built up a certain reputation, or with your professional work colleagues who have a certain view of you," he said. "Nobody brings any of that baggage to this group and it is open arms - you can bring whatever you need to bring and we'll give you as much support as we can."
While the group gave space to walkers to open up about specific events or experiences, Mr Winterson explained it was also an opportunity to escape the pressures of day-to-day life. "Men tend to bottle everything up - 'pull your socks up', 'stiff upper lip', 'man up,' - which is a phrase I think we've all used over the years but the world's a changing place."Just being there for each other, being there to listen, being there to support is really important and that's why we come out every week."
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