Thursday July 3rd 2025
Andy's Man Club #ITSOKAYTOTALK
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Andy’s Man Club Dalkeith began on the 2nd of December 2024, filling a gap in the area for a safe space where men can talk weekly. Created just over 6-months ago, the Dalkeith club has grown significantly, having 29 members since forming and recently hosting their largest meeting to date.
Andy’s Man Club was created in 2016 after a young man Andy Robert’s took his own life due to mental health issues. His mother, Elaine, set up a safe space for men to talk and get things off their chest. Soon opening their 300th venue, the charity has grown to help men struggling across the country, such as in Dalkeith
Offering in-person and online sessions every Monday night, Andy’s Man Club Dalkeith is the only club in Midlothian. The opening of the Dalkeith Club has offered the space to talk in Midlothian, saving men from travelling into Edinburgh or Preston Pans which was previously the closest Andy’s Man Clubs.
Speaking to Graeme McShane, Andy’s Man Club Dalkeith’s Lead Facilitor, on the charity’s 9th birthday, he explained, “Basically, it’s a place where guys can walk through a door, come in and talk about what’s going on in their life, whether they’re in a very dark place and going through a storm or needing that little bit of an opportunity to speak to other guys.”
“But ultimately, it’s just a place where they can come along, have a cup of tea, talk, and just get life’s little troubles off their chest. As soon as they sit down in that circle with the other guys, they’ll quickly realise that there are a lot of stories that are similar, guys going through the same sort of things, and it just sparks up additional conversation during breaks or afterwards or before the next session when they come along.”
Graeme explained that it isn’t about the numbers, it’s about the guys that walk through the door.
He said, “So Dalkeith itself, we’ve only been open since the 2nd of December, so we’re only seven months into the actual journey. For me, it’s not about the numbers that come through the door, it’s about the guys that are walking through the door itself. So, as much as we’ve hit record-breaking numbers, it’s about getting that message out there for people to come along.”
“Like, look, we’re here, we’re open. So while, we’ve got a record-breaking attendance, we’ve got 29 people, it’s more about, we have got 29 guys that have walked through that door.”
With issues surrounding mental health care in Scotland and waitlists for treatment with the NHS, Andy’s Man Club has helped many people across the country, offering a simple chat over a cup of tea or coffee with other men who may be going through similar issues. And, with stigma amongst men’s mental health and many men being ahsamed to talk, Graeme pushing for the opening of the club in Dalkieth is an attempt to create positive change in the area.
He explained, “For me, it’s a two-fold thing. It’s celebrating the guys that are walking through the door, but also it sort of validates my choice to push for Dalkeith to open up. Growing up in the local community, I’ve grown up around a lot of things that happened in Dalkeith over the years.”
With 556 male suicide deaths in Scotland last year, Dalkeith is no different from every other area in the country with men struggling in every corner of the country. This is where charities such as Andy’s Man Club have stepped in, providing a beacon of hope for many men.
“I know a little bit about some of the troubles that some of the guys in the community are going through so I knew Dalkeith was going to be a good choice for a venue. I grew up in Dalkeith, so I’ve got a lot of ties within the local community of people that I know. People that I’ve grown up beside, and I knew a lot about things that happened in and amongst Dalkeith.”
With Graeme starting Dalkeith’s club, he aimed to fill a gap in support that he noticed living in the area, linking up with the local Rugby Club who offered the perfect venue.
Graeme talked about the stigma of many mens first step through Andy’s Man Club’s door, highlighting his own struggle first joining when he went along to the North Merchiston Club in Edinburgh after he heard about it on the radio.
He explained, “It’s a bit of a weird story, but it’s probably a very similar story to a lot of guys that walk through the doors. I was sitting in my room working away one day and I always have the radio playing in the background. It was request hour and one lady called up to request a song and she explained that she was organising a collection fund for Andy’s Man Club.”
“So when I went onto the website, I had a look to see where my nearest ones were. So I found the two nearest ones, so I had North Merchiston and I had Prestonpans. So I thought, you know what, I’ll go to the North Merchiston one. So I went along there and I almost didn’t go in. So I drove up and the nerves and anxiety were really getting to me. I think it was on my third attempt of driving around the block, and I was like, you know what, there’s nothing, I’m just going to go home. So I started driving out the street and as soon as I started moving the car, this other car in front of me just pulled out of a parking space. That was like, yeah, I can’t use that excuse to get out of it. So I went in. It was an absolute eye opener.”
After his first experience, Graeme began attending the Prestonpan’s group where he made connections. From there, after realising the help Andy’s Man Club provided him with, he set out to start a club in his local area.
“I think it’s a need across the whole UK. I think if we can do more regarding prevention for mental health rather than cure the UK would be a much better place.”, he explained, “So giving guys an opportunity to come. It’s not a promide of cure but it’s a promise of being able to talk and just offload some of that pressure.”
With plans to start another club in Lonehead soon, Graeme believes Andy’s Man Club’s should be in every town and city in the UK, providing the same support he received at Prestonpans and now helps provide at Andy’s Man Club Dalkeith.
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