A MEMBER of staff at one of East Lothian’s largest employers has spoken to the Prime Minister as a men’s health strategy was launched.
Kevin Bolton was invited to the event due to his work with Andy’s Man Club, a men’s suicide prevention charity offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the UK.
Mr Bolton, who is deputy team leader at Torness Power Station, promotes the charity and its work on site to colleagues, and spoke to both Sir Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Mr Bolton has been involved with Andy’s Man Club since 2022, first as an attendee and now as one of their lead facilitators in the club at Berwick, where he lives.
He said: “This was an important event, held to coincide with International Men’s Day, and I was honoured to be there.
“I was invited by my local MP David Smith and had a tour of Parliament before the Downing Street reception.
“Suicide is one of the biggest killers of men under 50 and three-quarters of all suicides are in men.
“I was pleased to be able to talk to the Prime Minister, the Health Secretary and others about the work Andy’s Man Club is doing in the community and at places like Torness to improve men’s mental health.”
Kevin, along with fellow lead facilitator David Hattle, also carries out awareness days and presentations at Torness during Zero Harm Week and Mental Health Awareness Week.
The UK Government has promised £3.6m over the next three years for suicide prevention projects for middle-aged men in local communities where they are most at risk of taking their own lives.
A new levy will also be charged on betting companies and the Government will trial ways to reduce substance-related deaths, including workplace pilots to bring health checks into male-dominated industries.
Other guests at the reception included footballers Jamie Carragher, Conor Coady and Aaron Lennon; broadcaster Gordon Smart; reality television star and presenter Pete Wicks; and comedian Adam Hills.
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