A cold sea dips fundraiser for Thanet’s Manspace will hold the finale swim this Sunday (December 21).
QEQM nurse Lenna Howells has almost completed 13 days of freezing swims at Viking Bay to raise funds for the mental health support group for men.
For Lenna, it is her second year of fundraising for Manspace, with some £1250 raised in 2024. This year Lenna has been joined by her partner and mental health advocate Chris Faith for the chilly challenge.
The advanced clinical practitioner at A&E says through her job she has seen an ‘exponential’ rise in the number of people needing mental health support.
The 49-year-old said: “Everyone has people in their lives who really could benefit from something like Manspace, I certainly have a couple of friends that I have lost through general life problems who might have benefitted.
“I have been working in the emergency department for nearly 26 years and have seen a massive increase in young people and men at risk of suicide.
“Men are not as good as talking about what’s important to them, women are slightly better at that.
“Manspace is a safe space for men to go if they are feeling overwhelmed, lonely, depressed or would just like to be part of a healthy community where’s it’s not just ok to be vulnerable- it’s seen as a strength.”
Manspace was founded by David Wright and friend Paul White in 2023.
Dad-of-two David had experienced his own difficulties with mental health and alcohol and also lost friends and family to suicide.
The pair created the group to support wellbeing, foster community and reduce male suicide and violence.
David said: “We host two meetings a week in Thanet for men to connect and support each other. Many men live very isolated lives with poor mental health causing them to do harm to themselves and others and accounting for highly disproportionate levels of suicide. We believe the more men that know they have options around how to live, the fewer will believe that they deserve to die.
“We have seen men come to us in crisis wanting to end their lives who are now thriving, supporting other men and serving the local community. We have seen men with addiction problems arrive in very poor physical health who are now running regularly, regained full health and serving as volunteers, setting up businesses and learning trades.
“Manspace is part of a wider culture change in positive Masculinity that views openness, accountability and sharing vulnerability as strengths and where men find a sense of belonging, authentic connection, hope and purpose by showing up for themselves and each other.
“We rely on donations to keep funding our meeting spaces and activities and my lovely friend Lenna who fundraised for us last year by doing crazy cold sea dips is doing the same again for us this year with her partner Chris.
“Lenna is an advanced clinical practitioner at QEQM and will do these dips after long shifts at 10pm at night and the early hours of the morning. It really says something about her belief and commitment to our cause after completing these dips following a shift at the hospital whilst most are tucked up in bed.”
Lenna and Chris will do their final swim tomorrow (December 21), 2pm, at Viking Bay and all are welcome to come along.
Find the fundraiser at: https://gofund.me/002166224
Manspace
Mondays, 7pm, at 101 Social, 101 Northdown Rd, Cliftonville
Thursdays, 7pm, Radford House Ramsgate
