That this House commends Men Matter Scotland on their work providing a positive support network for men across Scotland; understands that the charity, based in Drumchapel in Glasgow West, aims to improve men’s quality of life, expand and enrich men’s connections, and supports men with a range of mental health challenges; notes that they facilitate activities which support positive mental, physical and emotional health; further notes that they provide a range of services, available seven days a week, from individual support, to group sessions and activities bringing men together in a safe space to support each other; recognises that Men Matter play an integral role in the wider Glasgow community through their street teams which provide crisis support at night for those urgently in need, and by their search teams assisting in missing person searches; welcomes the outreach activities that they undertake, from attending freshers week events to hosting information stands in job centres; congratulates the recent fundraising achievement of Ian Sproull, who raised over a thousand pounds for the charity by completing ten marathons in ten days in the run-up to World Suicide Prevention Day, a feat achieved by less than one hundred people; applauds all the staff and volunteers for providing these essential services, particularly since suicide rates in Scotland are 3.5 times higher among men than women; and encourages men across Scotland to reach out to Men Matter Scotland to benefit from their work forging friendships, making connections, building confidence, sharing skills, and developing role models.
