"Deeply entrenched” idea of masculinity challenged by a men's walking group
Post-industrial job losses and "keep going" attitudes have fueled poor mental health among men in the south Wales valleys. Gareth Pearson hopes to be part of the change, by walking.
Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.
Thanks as always for joining us this week. We’ve got a story for you today about men’s mental health in the south Wales valleys. But rather than all doom and gloom, we spoke a man in Merthyr Tydfil who is looking to provide a space for men to get outside, be active, and talk.
The story is below, but first, we just wanted to say thanks for joining us again this week. If you’re enjoying and/or finding these newsletters helpful and informative, we’d love you to keep joining us every week by subscribing (it’s free!). And if you want to receive our exclusive reporting in full, there is just a small yearly fee (more on that below).
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The Valleys Briefing
(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)
A new poll by YouGov for ITV Wales in partnership with Cardiff University has released a new predicted breakdown of how many seats each party will win in the Senedd elections in May. Plaid Cymru is on course to be the largest party with a vote share of 33%. And then: Reform 27%, Welsh Labour 13%, Welsh Conservatives 7%, Welsh Liberal Democrats 5%, and Other 4%. So of the 96 seats in the Senedd, 43 would go to Plaid Cymru, 30 to Reform UK, 12 to Welsh Labour, 10 to Wales Green Party, and 1 to Welsh Conservatives.
Every book worm will be glad to hear that Treharris Library in Merthyr Tydfil is reopening from Monday, 30 March. It originally opened in 1909, and for the last five years, has been refurbished. The great grandson of Alderman Andrew Wilson, who opened the library over 100 years ago, was at the library to witness the re-opening. This may seem like an insignificant story at first glance, but look again, because Wales’ National Children’s Laureates have warned “a crisis" in literacy in schools. 20% of children in Wales don’t own a book at home, so libraries are vital to pass down literacy.
A proposal to build six wind turbines with a maximum height of 200 metres on land between Abertillery and Abersychan has been refused by Welsh Government planning inspectors. At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, March 25 councillors will be given an update on the Abertillery windfarm proposed for land between Abertillery and Abersychan, and will be told that the proposal was refused planning permission earlier this month. “The proposal would have unacceptable adverse impacts on the setting of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park,” planning inspector Iwan Lloyd said.
Councillors in Blaenau Gwent have been advised to approve plans for two private children’s care homes. Concerns have been raised in regard to fears over safety and security at the sites, two houses that will be turned into residential care homes for children. “The concerns appear to be based on the assumptions that the children will not be properly managed,” the proposals read. “It is difficult for the planning process to give any significant weight to the potential behaviour of individuals.”
“Deeply entrenched” idea of masculinity challenged by a men’s walking group
In June 2023, Gareth Pearson laced up his trainers and went for his first walk with Men Walking and Talking, Merthyr Tydfil.
“I struggled with my own mental health over the years,” the 39-year-old told The Valleys Lead. “When I started walking once a week with a small group of other men, I felt a massive positive effect on my mental health. I got out each week to have a chat and a laugh, and to get outside and move my body. It was like a reset each week.”
Gareth said he’s often felt there is a stigma when it comes to men talking about their emotions.
“Men have to be tough,” he said. “They can’t talk about emotions, other than how it felt when your football team lost on Saturday. You fear you’ll look unmanly.”
But even more so in the south Wales valleys, Gareth thinks men struggle to open up about how they feel.
“There has been so much job loss over the years because of the mines, factories, and steel works closing,” he said. “Everything closed quite quickly. The livelihoods of thousands of men were lost. And men didn’t want to talk about the impact on them then or now. We didn’t want to look weak.”
Amy Donovan, a Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisor for Mind Cwm Taf Morgannwg in the south Wales valleys told The Valleys Lead that communities in the valleys are known for their strength and “we keep going” attitudes, but that this hasn’t necessarily been good for men’s and boys’ mental health following the loss of heavy industry.
