A POPULAR men's mental health charity is launching its first North Wales branch on Monday.

Andys Man Club is a free-to-attend talking group for men, challenging the stigmas around male mental health.

It was originally launched in 2016, in a small northern town, with nine men in attendance, and is now coming to Wrexham.

Facilitating the new group is Pete Debney, who moved to the area about 10 years ago.

He said: "I picked up on the club when it first started. I though 'this is great, someone is finally doing something, we're taking about it'. I watched it grow, and we're coming up on 100 clubs now.

"I've had my own battles, I still fight them but knowing there is something [the club] is amazing.

"We're told from a young age to 'man up', and those two words are poisonous. Toxic masculinity is killing us, not talking is killing us.

"We're told not talk about things, 'don't be daft' but it perpetuates the problem, makes it worse. I'm learning more and more, if you don't address things when you need to, they will bite you."

The 34-year-old explains a bit about what men attending can expect, stressing there's no obligation to talk, they can offer as much or as little as they want.

He said: "Sometimes it's just being in the room that helps but we usually start with who are you and where are you from, how has your week been and one positive the last seven days.

"This is followed up by 'is there anything you'd like to get off your chest?'.

"That can be anything - problems at work or at home, addiction. If it's a problem to someone, then it's a problem.

"We like to end on something more lighthearted, so people go away on a better note."

The father of a two-year-old, Pete says he doesn't want his son to have to go through half the battles he has.

He says if having AMC in the area means his son grows up knowing it's ok to talk, then it's worth while.

He added: "If we get through to just one bloke, it's worthwhile."

• Andys Man Club Wrexham launches on Monday, April 4, based at the Yellow And Blue hub, on Henblas Street.

Meetings will then be every Monday (except Bank Holidays) from 7pm-9pm.

For more details, visit Andys Man Club Wrexham on Facebook.