A Preston well-being network has invited residents to a drop-in event to raise awareness of men’s health issues and encourage people to come forward if they need help.

The Preston Wellfest event is on Tuesday, 14 June, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, at the Lancashire Recovery College, next to the Minerva Centre, Lowthorpe Road, Preston, PR1 6SB.

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The event coincides with Men’s Health Week (13 to 19 June 2022), timed to end on Father’s Day.

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Councillor Nweeda Khan, the cabinet member for communities and social justice, said: “Men’s Health Week is an opportunity for all boys and men to access information, services and treatment they need to live healthier, longer and more fulfilling lives.

“Even before the pandemic, men’s mental health and risk of suicide was a cause for concern, with lower numbers of men seeking help for depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges.

“With the pandemic came additional worries and isolation that have had a negative impact on the lives of men across our community.

“Let’s encourage the men and boys in our lives to take better care of themselves and their health.”

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There will be information stands and talks from organisations on subjects affecting men’s health.

Men between 18 and 44 are less likely to visit a doctor, so the group hopes the session will be more informal but informative.

Preston City Council said many people had less direct access to loved ones, leading to loneliness.

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They said technology helps, but a connection with a person can make a difference, so it is crucial for men everywhere to ‘give themselves an MOT’.

The Preston Wellfest Network was formed in 2019 and is comprised of over thirty organisations with a specific interest in health and well-being in the Preston area.

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During Men’s Health Week, the network aims to address and raise awareness of these alarming statistics:

• One man in five dies before age 65
• 75 per cent of premature deaths from heart disease are male
• Women live longer than men
• Four out of five suicides are male
• Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 49
• Men between the ages of 18 and 44 are less likely to see a doctor than women
• 67 per cent of men are overweight or obese
• Middle-aged men are twice as likely to have diabetes as women
• Men are more likely to drink alcohol to dangerous levels
• Men are twice as likely to have liver disease
• When men use therapy, it is at the point of crisis
• Men are more likely to smoke.

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