Social Impact Report

Case Study: Launching Southwark’s first men’s mental health support group

The Challenge

Men’s mental health remains one of the most pressing, yet underserved, issues in the UK.

Despite Andy’s Man Club’s huge success, supporting over 5,700 men weekly through more than 240 free peer-to-peer support groups nationwide, London had just three active groups — leaving vast gaps in local provision.

Our Response

We partnered with Andy’s Man Club and local charity Pecan to launch Southwark’s first ever men-only mental health group.

By building a relationship with the regional lead, Stuart Fawcett, and securing the right community connections, we helped bring this vital service to the borough for the first time.

The group officially launched on 12 May 2025 and has already begun offering a safe, non-judgmental space for men to talk openly and support one another.

- Introduced a nationally recognised mental health programme to a previously unserved borough
- Created new partnership pathways between national and local charities
- Set a replicable model for supporting grassroots mental health initiatives

- Strong collaboration between national, local, and delivery partners
- Clear alignment with community need and existing service gaps
- Commitment to long-term sustainability and potential London-wide rollout

This project highlights the powerful impact that collaboration can have when guided by meaningful social value.

At OCO Connect, we don’t just build partnerships — we lend our time to learning from our partners’ training, contribute employee volunteering hours, and help deliver lasting community impact.

We plan to expand this much-needed provision to other London boroughs to reach even more men in need.
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