This week we’re making a BIG deal of Men’s Health Week with the theme every year being chosen by Men’s Health Forum. As one of the city’s biggest employers and with a predominantly male work-force, we’re passionate about the health and wellbeing of our team throughout the year, but it’s always great to be able to focus our efforts specifically. The aim of Men’s Health Week is to see men and boys living healthier and happier for longer, and we’re happy to get behind that message.
Current research shows:
- 19% of all male deaths occur in men under the age of sixty-five.
- 67% of men are classed as being overweight or obese.
- Middle aged men are twice as likely to have diabetes as middle-aged women.
- One in eight men will struggle with their mental health, with one-third of men and boys saying that social media affects their mood.
- 76% of suicides are male.
This year the theme of Men’s Health Week is “Men’s Health and the Internet,” with talking points including over-use of social media, addictive online behaviours and harmful influences. Previous themes focused around Stress, Covid-19 and Diabetes.
As part of the work Men’s Health Forum is doing for this years’ event, they’re inviting men and boys to CONNECT:
“The five ways to wellbeing are five things we can all do that are scientifically-proven to help us feel better.
The CAN DO Challenge invites you to do all FIVE of them.
The five ways are:
- Connect – connect with other people (e.g. call an old friend or family member)
- (Be) Active – move your body (e.g. go for a run/walk/swim/dance/etc)
- Notice – take notice of the environment around you (e.g. turn off your phone for an hour and look around)
- Discover – learn something new (e.g. read a book you haven’t read before)
- Offer (or give) – do something for someone else (e.g. volunteer for a local community group)
Read more about the Five Ways to Wellbeing or find out about Man MOT for the Mind manual, based on the five ways. Or get started downloading resources now.
You CAN DO it by yourself. Or with friends.
You CAN DO it for fun. Or you CAN DO it to fundraise.”
For our Team
We’ve talked before about the aims and benefits of our wellbeing policy and working group (find that here) and we’re intending to continue with that work as the summer progresses. We’ve added more Mental Health First Aiders and we’ve spruced up our dedicated breakout and relaxation spaces. As well as the continuation of access to mental health support at The Dove Service, we’ve added regular activities such as a monthly lunchtime-walk.
This week, to highlight the importance of Men’s Health Week, we’ve invited Men Unite and Pure Gym to spend Thursday with us at our Cromer Road Depot. Members of both organisations will be with us all day so that members of our team can drop in to speak with them throughout the day.
Our team are important to us. We want them to be happy and healthy and to stay with us for as long as possible.
