A WELLINGTON man is hoping to get local men out of the house, walking and talking when the town’s first Men's Walking and Talking group launches next month.

For Mark Vaughan, the idea behind the local group is deeply personal.

Mark has lived in Wellington for nearly 20 years and runs his own business, is married, has a daughter and a busy household containing three dogs and two cats.

But, like many people, life changed dramatically for Mark following the Covid pandemic and the loss of his father.

“Ever since Covid and losing my dad, my confidence and my normal desire to go out and socialise has taken a real hammering,” Mark explains. “Bottling up worries and stresses from everyday life, catastrophising everything and becoming anxious about the smallest things.”

Over the following years, he found himself increasingly keeping his worries and stresses to himself and life gradually became a repetitive cycle as it is for many: work, home, sleep, work, home, sleep.

Then, while scrolling through Facebook, Mark came across a post about a Walking and Talking group in Taunton.

The concept was simple: no agenda, no expectations and no pressure. Just get together, go for a walk and, if you want to, talk. “It seemed to be just what I was looking for,” said Mark.

He went to one of the Taunton walks and found himself surprised by how much he enjoyed it.

“It was a blast. Relaxing, enjoyable and I immediately felt I was with guys who had been or still were struggling like I am.” That experience gave Mark an idea. If walking and talking could help him, why not create something similar in his own town?

And so Men's Walking and Talking Wellington was born.

The first walk will take place on Wednesday, September 9 at 7 pm, with men meeting at the ASDA car park in Wellington, and will last about one hour.

There is no membership fee, no agenda and no expectation that anyone has to talk about anything they don't want to.

The idea is simply to get men out of the house, away from the television and phones, and walking alongside other men.

For Mark, the talking is important, but so is simply turning up. “You don't have to come along with a problem. You don't have to talk about anything. You can just walk.”

He believes that is part of the appeal.

“Men can often find it difficult to admit that they are struggling, whether that is with stress, loneliness, worries about work and money, relationships, family life or simply the pressures of everyday life.

“Sometimes, having a conversation while walking can feel much easier than sitting opposite someone and being asked, ‘What's wrong?’”

Mark hopes the Wellington group can provide a relaxed and friendly environment where men can meet others, make new friends and perhaps talk about some of the things they normally keep to themselves.

His own experience has convinced him that sometimes the simplest things can make a real difference.