History of Voice of Men

sharing what is bothering you can often bring a solution you might not have thought of alone.

Mike Campbell  runs a basement barbers on Church Road in Lawrence Hill, Bristol. Many clients pass through his door and once in the chair, begin to open up and talk about issues affecting them or how they feel about the state of the world. 

  It was just after lockdown and during one of these barber chair discussions with a client that an idea began to form. The client was telling him how he had found lockdown really difficult and how it had negatively impacted on his mental health, family and social life. Mike realised this was a story he was hearing on a regular basis. He felt compelled to do something and he decided to set up Voice Of Men and open his shop every Wednesday fortnight for two hours in the evening when black men from the community can come together and talk.

It is a place where you can share at your own pace, in the knowledge that the group will hear you without judgement and support you however they are able to. Anything shared in the group remains confidential. It is a place where as a group where everyone agrees to adhere to a strict moral conduct so that we can bring positivity to everything we do.

 Mike is looking for dedicated volunteers to help the group reach more people and is keen to get more young men to join the group. The older men and fathers in the group would like to support the next generation by talking to them about positive futures and sharing their knowledge and experience. Together, all generations can bring about a positive future for the young.

To join or find out how to support the group please see contacts page.