National Men's Health Week 2006

Event reports

Click on the links below to take you straight to the event you'd like to read about, or just keep scrolling down...

Healthy Island Men - Western Isles Health Board

Dumbarton - NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde

Midlothian Healthy Living Partnership Project

Inverclyde Council

Healthy Highland Men

Put your West Foot Forward - West Lothian

Dundee City Council

West Dunbartonshire

Health Matters for Men - Lanarkshire

Drumchapel Community Health Action Team (CHAT)

Team Breathing Space

Healthy Island Men

The theme this year was men and mental wellbeing. The Lewis and Harris Men's Health Forum ran various events throughout the island promoting the "SEE ME - help stop the stigma of mental ill health" message.

At this year’s Works/Open 7-a-side Football Competition we mixed the Works and the Open events with 11 work teams and two open teams taking part. The competition was split into two leagues with the winners from each league reaching the final. This year's final was between Marine Harvest and Universally Challenged with Marine Harvest winning for the third time.

The Health Promotion Department thanked the Men's Health Forum, Lewis and Harris Sports Council, the teams that entered and all players that took part.

Top Row: Runners Up Universally Challenged

Bottom Row: Winners Marine Harvest

and... On Friday, June 16, members of the Public Health department sailed on the ferry MV Isle of Lewis offering staff and visitors health advice and blood pressure checks.

Captain Alex Morrison pictured above having his blood pressure checked by Ishbel MacDonald of Healthy Island Men.

Teams from Fjord Seafoods, OneTel, Sandwick School and the Health Promotion Department braved the rain to take part in a sponsored walk through the Castle Grounds on Saturday, June 17, in aid of charity.

The Western Isles project engaged with around 300 men during Men's Health Week this year with the most successful events being the football tournament and the ferry health checks.

They had never performed health checks on the ferry before and would definitely do this again.

For more information contact:

Ishbel MacDonald

01851 860 667

IshbelM.Macdonald@wihb.scot.nhs.uk

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Dumbarton

Robert Henderson from West Dunbartonshire Community Health Partnership was responsible for organising and coordinating a men's health day. The event was called "For men, by men" and was held in the local football stadium.

Just over 100 people were invited and on the day 60 persons attended. The day was a mixture of speakers, with all topics related to men and mental health.

There were discussion workshops and feedback. Also on site there were nurses doing mini health checks and 20 people took part in this.
Complementary therapies were also available on the day. Other organisations had table top displays and information stands.
A community drama group also gave a series of user and carer experiences.

Although people found the speakers interesting by far the most popular were the discussion groups that all could take part in.

For more information contact:

Robert Henderson - Active Life Men's Health Coordinator

01389 812021

roberthenderson@nhs.net

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Midlothian Helpp

A free health check and complementary Indian Head Massage was offered, with information leaflets geared around men’s health issues. 

This happened over two days on a drop in basis from 10 – 3 each day. 

In all around 35 men came in and got checked over, and had their head massage. 

Some asked for more information on health aspects which were of concern to them.  They all LOVED the head massage…and some men were referred on to their GPs for further check ups (blood pressure/weight). 

For more information contact:

Linda Sneddon

Information Worker

HELPP

Midlothian Healthy Living Partnership Project

3 Eskdaill Court

Dalkeith

EH22 1AG

Tel 0131 660 5055

Fax 0131 663 9839

www.helpp.org.uk

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Inverclyde Council

What was the most successful part of your NMHW06 event?
creating an atmosphere where groups of manual employees actually felt comfortable enough to ask questions about alcohol consumption and depression and suicide (away from the scrutiny of managers)

How many men did you engage with during the week?
76

Did you do anything that you hadn't done before, and if so, what...
We gave men carrier bags with information leaflets and freebies which they had to take home after they left the awareness sessions, therefore we got them to possibly share this information with family members and
friends.

... and would you consider doing it again?

yes but also posing a question in the flyers which began discussion until the answer was given at the event and a prize for the correct answer.

Did you get any feedback from any of the men with whom you engaged and can we quote them on our website please?
We have just recently sent out a questionnaire for supervisors to ask the men for feedback to certain questions and attached again the helpline numbers for individuals to get confidential help and advice on the topics we covered and more.

The survey concluded that:
Yes the majority of men who attended had remembered the correct units
limit for alcohol consumption per week,
No, they hadn't quite grasped how many glass measures there is in the
average bottle of wine.
Yes they had been able to take the information pack home and in the
majority of cases, family members had also accessed the information
leaflets we had provided on alcohol consumption, it's effects on the
body and brain and the information and helplines on depression and
suicide.
No they had not been able to directly help a family member or a friend
through the information that was provided.

When asked what further health awareness topics and information they would like to see covered in the future, they requested:
basic information on blood pressure calculations and what they actually
mean, as doctors and nurses seem to think that people should
automatically understand the calculation when told.
More information on depression, ways to recognise it in self and how to
cope with it or help a family member or friend who has it.

For more information contact:

Carol Reid

01475 712027

carol.reid@inverclyde.gov.uk

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Healthy Highland Men - Jean MacLeod

Jean carrying out Peak Flow- lung function test.

The Healthy Highland Men information stand (the other side had information on mental health and wellbeing)

Jean and some of the Kinlochbervie men.

Irene checking blood pressures and giving lifestyle advice.

Hand grip test (to determine dominant side)

Irene and some of the road men in for a quick health check.

What was the most successful part of your NMHW06 event?

The most successful part was that all the venues were well attended they included the Mart at Dingwall The Fisherman's Mission Kinlochbervie, The Boat builders Lochaber Manpower Thurso and a pre retirement group in Inverness.

How many men did you engage with during the week?

During the course of the week we engaged with approx 67 men (with a further 24 the previous week not that counts).

Did you do anything that you hadn't done before, and if so, what and would you consider doing it again?

No we did not do anything that we hadn't done before our aim was to get out there and engage with the hard to reach men which we did.

Most of those who we engaged with had not seen a GP since they were knee high to a grasshopper.

Did you get any feedback from any of the men with whom you engaged and can we quote them on our website please?

Please see below quotes from some of the emails I got following the session at Manpower. A huge call centre near Thurso in Caithness. The rest of the feedback was verbally but the general consensus is that they all felt it was a great way of having a lifestyle check, accessing appropriate information and a useful resource to signpost  them to the appropriate bodies for further assistance or support.

"Thanks very much for the recent visit of the Mobile Health Unit to Manpower in Thurso. I found the health check very helpful and I am making the appropraite lifestyle changes. I sincerely hope that the visit will be repeated in future, it was hugely appreciated."

Richard Wood

"I would just like to thank you for providing the 5–min MOT at the Mobile Health Unit whilst at the Manpower Site in Thurso.  I thought this was a fantastic way to find out a bit more about my health and what steps I could take to improve it.  I was especially impressed by the body monitor scales and the information it could provide, along with the advice given by yourself and your colleague.

I was very disappointed to hear that the funding has been stopped for this worthwhile initiative.  I know that myself, and many of my colleagues would have looked forward to the Health Unit becoming an annual event, and possibly introducing some of the other units.  I also know that there were many more people wanting to attend the event that were unable to do so due to limited availability.

The following two colleagues that do not have e-mail access - Darren Macleod and M Irvine - would also like to pass on their appreciation for the visit of the health unit.  They both enjoyed it and would look forward to going again in future."

Kerry Gulloch

"I found it most helpful and beneficial and would like to thank you for your time.

Should be a regular thing as I believe a lot of people would benefit from it with the work environment we are currently in."

Victor Risbridger

For more information contact:

Jean MacLeod

Healthy Highland Men

01571 844033

jean.macleod@btinternet.com

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Put your West Foot Forward

Our men's health week went quite well.

We sent out information leaflets on men's health, mental health etc. to all the men we could get in contact with, through our project (put your west foot forward) and other projects.

This culminated in a men only health walk (men on the move) launch on the Saturday, in conjunction with a men'shealth stall.

On the day of the launch the heavens opened for the first time in a week and it also fell on the same day as a local gala day. We, nonetheless, were able to speak to a number of men and a small group came on the walk.  

What was the most successful part of your NMHW06 event?

The most successful part of the initiative was the weeks after as we have been able to gradually build up the participation numbers for the walk.

How many men did you engage with during the week?

We engaged well over 50 men during the week in one way or another.

Did you do anything that you hadn't done before?

I suppose the male only walk was a new thing.

Did you get any feedback from any of the men with whom you engaged and can we quote them on our website please?

We did evaluate the day and the men provided some info by way of an evaluation form. 20 were completed.

All felt the info was appropriate.

All said that the new walk was something they found out that wpould help them get fit.

Five men said they would like to know more, so we provided the Men's health scotland website address and other addresses.

We went for a Thursday at 1pm for the walk

1 was aged 26-50

15 were aged 51-65

and 4 were aged >65  

In addition the leisure centre that the walk starts/finishes are providing free swims for all walkers.

for more information contact:

David Kennedy
Health Walk Development Officer
West Lothian Council
Strategic Planning
County Buildings
Linlithgow
EH49 7EZ
TEL. 01506 775207
david.kennedy@westlothian.gov.uk

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Dundee City Council

We concentrated on an activity, fun and health day.
The best bits were "beat the goalie" with our director offering himself up as a target - sorry, I mean goalie.
Also 26 men had comprehensive health checks on the day and once, the ice had been broken, about 25 allowed themselves to have hand massages!

We reckon about 35-40 came over the day.

We had tried a new approach by offering activities and challenges eg. exercise bike challenge, table-tennis, basketball and had started the day with a Tai Chi session which 6 guys participated in.

We will do something similar next year as this approach engaged younger and more sporting guys who would not have attended one of our more "traditional" health events.

I have no written feedback, but have been approached by several younger men who said how much they had enjoyed the day.

For more information contact:

Nick Berman

01382 433289

nick.berman@dundeecity.gov.uk

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West Dunbartonshire - Sports Activities

What was the most successful part of your NMHW06 event?
Attendances at our swimming sessions and health suite.  We were pleased with those who took advantage of the free inductions, especially at the Play Drome.  We have a number who have shown great interest in joining our gyms and carrying on exercising. 

How many men did you engage with during the week?

Did you do anything that you hadn’t done before, and if so, what – and would you consider doing it again?
We offered dryside activities such as badminton, football, yes we would consider doing it again

Did you get any feedback from any of the men with whom you engaged and can we quote them on our website please?
Yes - "this is a great idea"  "thank you for being concerned about men's health", plus lots of men just saying thanks

For more information contact:

Bobby Kerr

Service Development Co-ordinator
01389 734094

bobby.kerr@west-dunbarton.gov.uk

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Health Matters for Men organised a number of events during Men’s Health Week. Activities for the week kicked off in Asda, Blantyre with taster massage sessions and non-alcoholic cocktails on offer to men. The Local Council on Alcohol were on hand all week to give advice of safe drinking limits and responsible drinking. The Community Learning team were also in attendance to provide men with the opportunity to improve their numeracy and literacy skills. 10 men participated in a massage session and 17 men self referred to the Health Check Clinic in Blantyre Health Partnership.

A day outside MFI at Hamilton Retail Park proved to be a popular haunt for men during the day. We carried out 15 health checks and every man received a Health Matters for Men goodie bag, containing a pee-ball and information on diet, exercise, testicular and prostate cancer.

With the focus of the week being on Mental Wellbeing, we launched a Men’s Health Club in partnership with The Richmond Fellowship. A number of agencies attended to mark the launch of the Club that will run every Wednesday afternoon in Burnbank, Hamilton. Braveheart were on hand to undertake 14 MOT health checks. 13 of those men attended the Club the following week to develop a programme for the Club during a “healthy working lunch”. The guys participated in cooking a healthy lunch with a little help from a Cooking for Health tutor.

Our annual event in Hamilton Park Racecourse, despite the rain, attracted 16 men for a MOT health check and around 50 popped into the marquee or the Body Check Bus for advice or information.

For more information contact:

Claire Smith

Health Matters for Men

Blantyre Health Partnership

1 Station Road

Blantyre

Tel: 01698 711823

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Drumchapel Community Health Action Team (CHAT)

What was the most successful part of your NMHW06 event?

The men's health big display we had in drumchapel health centre for 2 weeks, also another display in Jury's Inn Hotel about men's health  in an event organised by the Carers Trust.

How many men did you engage with during the week?

About 30 men .

Did you do anything that you hadn’t done before, and if so, what ?  

Yes, an attractive display with many leaflets.

Did you get any feedback from any of the men with whom you engaged and can we quote them on our website please?

positive feedback ,but unfortunately we do not have the quotes.

For more information contact:

HALAH AL-MUFTI

Community health worker

CHAT

Drumchapel health centre

Tel: 0141 211 6166

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Team Breathing Space

30 men from all walks of life, including a group of guys from Quarriers Father’s Group in Ruchazie, ran as part of ‘Team Breathing Space’ in the first Men’s 10K at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.

The team ran the 10K wearing Breathing Space t-shirts sporting the slogan;

‘Don’t run from your problems…call Breathing Space’

to help raise awareness of the service amongst runners and spectators. 

The feedback received from the men taking part in the event was fantastic, many describing the day as one of the best Father’s Days they can remember, and many of the team have decided to run again in the ‘Fresh n Lo Great Scottish Run 10K’ on 3rd September 2006.

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There is also a STOP PRESS page detailing any other events which did not make it into our directory.

The dates for NMHW2006 were June 12th - 18th.

National Men's Health Week 2006- CD Resource
Men & Mental Wellbeing

Launch Resource