A Perthshire man has set up a new men only support group due to be run in both Perth and Dundee.
Don Marshall of Glencarse founded the new Pathfinders group which aims to give men a safe environment to meet to discuss things they find difficult to talk about.
The group has a Christian ethos but is open to all men who feel they would benefit from attending.
Don spoke of the importance of men having a platform to discuss any issues they have.
He said: “Men tend to bottle things up and find it hard to open up and we aim to encourage men to talk and support each other.
“Having a mix of men from different backgrounds and experiences will mean there should always be someone who can relate to an issue or problem and give some advice or just a friendly ear.
“The hope for the first meeting is to get a few men together to meet, talk, share stories and start to build a core of regular attendees.”
Don has himself experienced tough times, which he says is the motivation behind him setting up Pathfinders.
He believes that if he opens up about his experiences, other men will be encouraged to also do so.
He said: “Personally I have been through several tough times and situations in my life and I felt a calling to use these experiences to help and encourage other men.
“Two years ago I trained as a Life Coach which has helped my own journey.
“I have personally been through depression, anxiety, job loss, death of a close relative, an abusive marriage, divorce, addiction, heart attacks and open-heart surgery so I have experience of many of life’s pathways that I can talk about and share with others.
“So here I am trying to find my own path.”
But Don added it has not been an easy process in the lead up to the upcoming first meeting.
He said: “So far I have tried to connect with some other men’s groups and church groups and found it tough to make those connections but I have made a few.
“Having the courage to start a group without knowing if anyone will come or get involved is a risk but it’s one I feel I must take.
“If I can help one man through this then it will be worth the effort.”
The first meeting is on February 18 at 7pm at Blend Coffee Shop, Perth.
The first Dundee meet-up will be held on February 25 at 7pm at The Queens Hotel Bar.
