Cumbria's first Andy's Man Club will be coming to Carlisle and Workington.

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 with one man succumbing to the illness every two hours, Andy's Man Club looks to challenge this.

The men's mental health charity offers a free-to-attend talking space for groups of men to clear their chest, with hopes of reducing the stigma attached around male mental health.

Whilst there are 67 of the groups nationwide, there is yet to be one in Cumbria, until now.

Carlisle resident, Aiden Gallogy, 34, posted to Spotted Carlisle with an appeal of bringing the group to the city.

Aiden, who practices as a mental health care assistant and who has first hand experience of dealing with the suicide of a close family member said: "With suicide being the second biggest killer in men right now, there's just no time for health services to see everyone, which I know first hand."

"I know what's its like to have conversations with those suffering from mental health issues in a clinical sense it can be quite pressurised and full of formal expectations, this is so non-clinical and casual it might encourage more men to talk in a relaxed environment," he said.

"It's about offering the least restrictive solution and there's nothing less restrictive than coming down for a cup of tea and conversation," he said.

Whilst there are other male mental health support groups available within Cumbria, few have such a large social presence as this one.

Neil Waine, project development champion for the group said: "If us coming up to Carlisle and Workington sparks all these other groups into life, that can't bad thing, it just means there's more levels of support available."

Neil said 1,500 men across the country attended Andy Man Club meetings on Monday night.

"This shows there's a need out there, and if you give men the right platform, they will use it," he said.

The support-group opened their fiftieth group last year and by the end of March expect to have registered 90 groups across the nation.

"You never know Carlisle or Workington could be club 100, which would be great," he said.

The new groups will be definitely coming to the areas of Carlisle and Workington, however a suitable location for the meets have yet to be decided.

If anyone would like to put forward a location or bring an Andy's Man Club to their region, contact neil.waine@andysmanclub.co.uk