Support for men

Confidential services available for men and boys. 

Rape and sexual abuse counselling services [external link].

ManHealth provide free:

• peer support groups
• WebChat
• Connect services

across County Durham and Northumberland for men with depression and other mental health conditions.

We know that the intense emotional pain you can experience when depressed can distort your thinking so it becomes harder to see possible solutions to problems, or to connect with those who can offer support.

We also know that peer support offered by someone who has a lived experience of mental ill health can help men.

Visit the ManHealth website [external link].

Male carers are a socially isolated group and can miss out on spending time with friends and family members.

Men who give up work to care, or are unemployed, are particularly isolated and support for male carers has particular focus on addressing social isolation in this group.

Information about the experiences and needs of male carers can be found in the men's health forum survey [external link].

For support in your caring role, please contact Darlington Carers Support:

• 0300 030 1215
• [email protected]
• Durham County Carers Support [external link]

Morrison Trust Men’s Shed - Darlington is a space where men from the Darlington area can meet to share and develop their IT skills in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

We hope the project will give men, who feel isolated because they are out of work, the chance to socialise and meet like-minded people.

We want the Men’s Shed to be a safe place where men can meet up, have a chat and a cuppa and learn some practical IT skills to help them find work.

If you have an interest in learning about any area of IT (e.g. programming, computer repair, gaming, IT security and building computers) and would like to get together with people with a shared interest, The Shed could be the place for you!

It would be great to get people involved who have experience in IT and skills to share too; you might be employed in IT and feel you could contribute to The Shed by supporting others.

We hope The Shed will have a positive impact on mental health through:

• increased wellbeing
• reducing isolation
• peer support
• increased confidence and self-esteem
• awareness of additional support and services

You can contact Men's Shed Darlington by:

• call: 01325 387700
• minicom: 01325 387695
• email: [email protected]

The Men’s Shed project is possible thanks to County Durham Community Foundation who are supporting Morrison Trust with funding from the NHS Health Improvement Fund.

Groundwork North East and Cumbria deliver a weekly men’s shed project at Bell Burn allotments in Darlington.

The sessions run every Tuesday 1:30-3:30pm.

Sessions comprise of allotment work, woodwork, painting and clearance.

The allotment has a weather proofed shed, tea and coffee making facilities and toilets on site.

This is for any men aged aged 18 and above who would like to get out and meet new people in a safe environment.

You can contact Natalie for more information on: 07577 344731.

You can find more information at the Men's advice line website:

• Men's advice line [external link]
• call:08088 010327
• email:[email protected]

Mankind offers a confidential helpline which is available for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence across the UK as well as their friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues and employers.

ManKind provide an information, support and directing service to men suffering from domestic abuse from their current or former wife, partner (including same-sex partner) or husband.

For further details visit the ManKind website [external link].

The mental health website includes:

• resources
• stories by men
• details of  who can provide support

Mental health - men's mental health [externa link].

Contact us about anything.

Open to anyone - LGBT+ or not.

Contact us on:

• support line: 01325 978 007
• office telephone: 01325 978 810
• email: [email protected]

Visit the Arcus website [external link].

You can:

• make a referral for counselling 
• make a referral for the support line
• make a referral to our wellbeing and mentoring service
• book places on our LGBT+ awareness training
• request a call back

Please note that we are a generalist service, so you can refer anyone to us for anything. 

Although our specialism is LGBT+ clients to not have to be LGBT+ to access any of our services.

There is also an older LGBT+ Group, that takes place in person, at Age UK, Bradbury House Darlington, every Thursday at 4pm till 6pm. Currently using Zoom.

You can also follow us on social media using the following links:

• Arcus Facebook [external link]
• Arcus Twitter [external link]