Key Summary
- The government is partnering with Movember and the People’s Health Trust to launch a £6.3 million fund for men’s welfare.
- Grants will support men and boys aged 16+ during vulnerable transitions, such as becoming a father, facing unemployment, or entering retirement.
- An additional £3.6 million is being invested over the next three years for suicide prevention projects specifically targeting middle-aged men in high-risk areas.
Movember and the People’s Health Trust are launching a multi-million-pound partnership to help men lead healthier lives through the new Men’s Health Community Fund.
The initiative is backed by £3 million from the Department of Health and Social Care with Movember and People’s Health Trust more than doubling the government’s initial funding to give an overall investment of £6.3 million.
It will take an innovative approach by utilising the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector to reach men who traditionally avoid clinical services.
Suicide is one of the biggest killers of men under 50 and three-quarters of all suicides involve them. The government is also investing £3.6 million over the next three years in suicide prevention projects for middle-aged men in local communities across areas of England where they are at most likely to take their own lives, many of which are also the most deprived.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said, “Too many men across the country are living shorter, less healthy lives – particularly those in our most disadvantaged communities.
“This new partnership will help men get the support they need in the places they feel most comfortable – their communities, among people they trust. By working with expert charities and local organisations, we can reach the men who are too often missed by traditional services and help them take better care of their mental and physical health.
Grants will back community projects that reach underserved men and boys aged 16+ during key moments in their lives including transition to fatherhood, job loss, or retirement.
An evaluation will be funded via the National Institute for Health and Care Research to ensure the programme generates robust evidence to inform future policy and delivery.
Michelle Terry, CEO of Movember UK, said, “Almost every community has been impacted by losing men they care about too young. Thanks to our incredible supporters, Movember have been funding work going to where men are for over 20 years.”
John Hume, chief executive of People’s Health Trust, said: “People’s Health Trust is proud to be a partner in this innovative programme with the Government and Movember. Our expertise in working with communities to improve health outcomes ensures we reach men at the sharp end of poor health.”
