The importance of looking after both physical and mental wellbeing was placed firmly in the spotlight in Claremorris last week as hundreds of people gathered in The Square for the sixth annual ‘One Step at a Time’ men’s health awareness event.
Organised jointly by Claremorris Men’s Shed and Claremorris Family Resource Centre as part of Men’s Health Awareness Week, the event attracted its largest attendance to date and brought together health professionals, community organisations, volunteers, local businesses and members of the public for an afternoon dedicated to health awareness, information sharing and community connection.
What began several years ago as a relatively small initiative has continued to grow, and this year’s event featured almost 30 organisations and support services offering advice, information and practical assistance. Health checks, wellbeing stands, free haircuts, sporting activities, music and live broadcasting from Claremorris Community Radio all contributed to a vibrant atmosphere in the heart of the town.
Former Mayo footballer and recent Everest climber Padraig O’Hora, was among the special guests attending the event and praised the efforts being made locally to promote positive mental health and wellbeing. He said supporting local initiatives was something he felt strongly about.
“Especially coming off the back of Everest, there’s thousands upon thousands of requests and it’s hard to get through them all. But there are some key things that, especially locally, you’ll always try your best to support.”
Padraig said he had great respect for the organisers and the emphasis being placed on men’s health.
“Anything that’s going on locally here in Mayo that’s trying to promote positive mental health in particular, I’m going to back where I can,” he said.
His presence drew considerable attention throughout the afternoon, with many visitors taking the opportunity to meet him, take selfies and hear about his recent achievement in climbing Mount Everest.
Behind the scenes, a considerable amount of work had gone into organising the event. Nuala Gilligan, Co-Ordinator, Claremorris Family Resource Centre, who has been involved since its inception, said the initiative had grown significantly over the past six years.
Ms Gilligan said attendance was noticeably higher than in previous years. Organisers worked throughout the week to ensure the town reflected the theme of Men’s Health Awareness Week. Shop windows were decorated with posters, blue balloons and blue ribbons, helping to create visibility and encourage conversations around men’s health.
“We were turning Claremorris blue,” she said.
The increased profile of the event was also reflected in the level of participation from organisations eager to become involved. A total of 28 exhibitors attended on the day, while more than 35 had originally expressed interest.
Among the services represented were mental health supports, community groups, health promotion organisations, youth services, social inclusion projects and emergency support initiatives.
Nuala paid tribute to the many individuals and organisations who helped make the event possible, including volunteers, businesses and community groups. She also acknowledged SuperValu Claremorris for sponsoring and preparing refreshments for the event, while funding support from Healthy Mayo helped cover promotional materials including banners, posters and decorations.
“There’s a lot of support available for men here in the community,” she said. “That’s really what today is about – letting people know what’s there.”
One of the organisations providing information was Flourish Social Prescribing, a service designed to tackle social isolation and improve wellbeing by connecting people with activities and community groups.
Link worker Aisling Keane explained that the service works with adults who may be experiencing loneliness, anxiety, depression or other life challenges.
“What we do is link in with people in their local communities,” she said. “We connect people with their interests, their hobbies and their passions, and we help reignite those by connecting them with groups, activities, classes and courses.”
Aisling explained that referrals come from a variety of sources including GPs, mental health professionals and self-referrals. Once referred, clients receive one-to-one support free of charge.
The service, which covers East Mayo, often works with people experiencing major life transitions such as retirement or bereavement.
The process begins with a conversation designed to identify a person’s interests and the barriers preventing them from becoming involved in community life.
“If somebody is interested in vintage cars, stamp collecting or whatever it might be, we’ll look at what’s available locally,” she said.
In some cases, if no suitable group exists, Flourish may help create one.
“If I have three or four referrals with shared interests, I might look at bringing those people together and creating a group.”
Another organisation represented at the event was Youth Action Claremorris, which works with young people considered at risk of becoming involved in criminal behaviour.
Youth justice practitioner Edward Doheny explained that the project, operated by Youth Work Ireland North Connacht and funded through the Department of Justice, was established in Claremorris approximately three years ago following the identification of local needs.
“We work with young people who have come under the attention of the law, but we also work with young people who haven’t got quite there yet,” he said.
Mr Doheny explained that referrals come primarily from juvenile liaison officers, schools and families. The service focuses heavily on early intervention and prevention.
“It starts off very small,” he said. “You could have a young person who excelled in school for years but is now missing days, grades are dropping and things are changing.”
The programme provides intensive one-to-one support and works closely with schools, families, sports clubs and other adults involved in a young person’s life.
Michael Clarke of Claremorris and District Lions Club was promoting the Lions Club’s ‘Message in a Bottle’ scheme, which provides emergency medical information to first responders. The initiative involves storing important personal and medical information in a clearly marked container kept in the fridge.
“You put all your details into it, plus whatever medication you’re on,” Michael explained.
Stickers placed on the inside of front and back doors alert emergency personnel that the information is available.
“If something happens and the paramedics are called, they know to look in the fridge,” he said.
The information can include medical conditions, allergies, medications, emergency contacts, GP details and communication needs.
Michael said the simple initiative has the potential to save lives by providing critical information during emergencies.
Damien McHugh said Claremorris Men’s Shed, another exhibitor, was established in 2012.
“We have 23 members, and we meet every Monday to Friday, from 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock,” he said. “We have a sing song once a week. We have a game of cards. And there’s also lads splitting up timber for kindling or they get involved in woodwork projects. It’s a great outlet for men, it’s somewhere to go. Not all of them are retired. Some are still working away. Some are just lads recovering from strokes or illnesses. And basically the Shed has brought them on, slowly but surely, because when a man gets struck, he loses all his confidence and everything, but the Shed generally kind of moves them on again and gives them a purpose again.”
Damien added that if somebody wanted to join the Men’s Shed, they can just drop in or can contact them on Facebook.
Throughout the afternoon, visitors moved between information stands, chatted with service providers and took advantage of health checks and wellbeing activities. The relaxed atmosphere and fine weather encouraged conversations that might not otherwise take place, while the presence of so many organisations highlighted the breadth of support available within the community. Organisers were particularly pleased to see representatives from such a wide range of services working together in one location. For many attendees, the event provided an opportunity to learn about supports they had not previously known existed. For others, it was simply a chance to meet people, enjoy the atmosphere and become more connected to their community.
Nuala Gilligan said the support received from local businesses, volunteers and organisations had been extraordinary and demonstrated the strength of community spirit in Claremorris. The continued growth of the event, she said, showed that conversations around men’s health, mental wellbeing and social connection are becoming increasingly important and increasingly accepted.
