THE campaign to improve men’s mental health and tackle the high levels of male suicide has received a boost in Buckie. Unused buildings off Newlands Lane in the town are to be transformed into a facility where males of all ages can meet, socialise and undertake a range of activities. Behind the scheme is Portgordon Community Church with their pastor, Willie Aitken, keen to drive forward the initiative. “Our main aim of this outreach service is helping men who’ve got mental health issues. “While we’re not a part of the men’s shed movement many of our principles are basically the same. “I saw a statistic recently
from the charity the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) that said every day 84 men a week in the UK committed suicide because of mental illness. For me that’s a shocking statistic. “I personally feel that what these guys in that position are looking for is hope, they feel they have nothing to live for. The Christian life is saying ‘We’ve got hope’.” The statistics, published by CALM, make grim reading, They reveal that three out of four suicides in Britain are male, with it remaining the biggest single killer of men aged under 45. The church have been given the use of three sheds plus a building containing an office and toilets, which pastor Aitken said were all earmarked for different things.
One of the shed areas is destined to become a refurbishment area for electrical components and furniture, with a deal in the offing to help neighbouring charity shop Blythswood repair and revamp some of the furniture they receive. Another area is to be devoted to working on projects of mechanical nature. The third shed area is, for the moment, classed as storage. It is hoped to transform the fourth space into a multi-functional facility, where men can socialise, play games and have a cup of coffee. Plans are in place to create a changing area for adults with learning difficulties, something pastor Aitken said was in short supply locally. He continued: “There’s work needs done to these buildings before we can formally open but it won’t take a lot to do with some helping hands. “Having the space to use is the key, getting it sorted is the easier bit. “It’s run down, but that’s not an issue. “We’ve got no timescale for getting the place ready. “We’d love to hear from anybody who can volunteer some of their time to help us. “It doesn’t have to be a lot and there’s plenty different jobs to do. Anyone who would like to help out with the project should get in touch with pastor Aitken by phone on (01542) 835007, email will.i.am8ken@talktalk. net or via his personal Facebook page.