It was 2022 when David first got involved with Montrose Community Trust. He was in his 60s, and suffering from low self esteem, poor self confidence and depression. He remembers hitting a point of realisation: “I thought I was going to lose everything: my marriage, family and friends”.
“I felt if I walked into a crowded room I would just sit on my own and not talk to anyone”.
It was this realisation that spurred him to get in touch with MCT. Seeing a post on Facebook about the changing room, he thought “what do I have to lose?”. Prior to his first session, David was a bag of nerves – walking into a room full of people was hard, but it didn’t take long at all for the MCT staff and volunteers to help him, along with all of the other participants, feel at ease.
The Changing Room is a 12-week programme aimed at improving men’s mental health. By taking part, David had the chance to speak honestly about how he was feeling, without judgement. But it wasn’t always serious – there was a chance to make real bonds, have a laugh, and he even volunteered along with some other members of the group to do some home baking!
It isn’t just mental health support that David has benefited from at MCT – he attended Football Fans in Training, too – learning more about healthy eating, portion control and ways to get more exercise. His proudest moment was finishing his first Big Walk & Talk, but no matter what aspect of himself he was working on, it gave him a boost: “the impact overall has been profound. I feel a lot more self-confident, depression is well under control, I’m eating healthier, and my daily step count is up too.”
“It feels like an extended family and you know there will always be someone there to talk to.”
David’s favourite thing about MCT is the connections he’s made: “You know there will always be someone to talk to”. Now retired, David sees a lot of difference in himself, and others see it too. He’s enjoying retirement – spending a lot of time painting – and is currently in training for his third Big Walk & Talk with MCT. To anyone struggling as he was in 2022, he says “don’t hesitate in getting involved – it will definitely change your life and give you a happier future”.