A GROUP that aims to provide help to men suffering from mental health issues is set to be created. 

Mentalk Brampton is a volunteer-led support group that has the goal of creating a safe space for men who are struggling with their mental health. 

No referral is required to be a part of the group which will hold its first, free-to-enter, meeting at Brampton Community Centre at 7 pm on Tuesday, October 10.

At the meeting, Mentalk Brampton will be offering an evening of support, with the group planning on reconvening on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month.

Mal Craghill, is a former RAF navigator who piloted Tornado jets during the Gulf War and is also one of the founders of the new group. 

Mals' experiences working in this male-dominated and high-pressure environment contributed to his own struggles with mental health which arose from repressing his worries and led to broader physical consequences.

He said: "I thought there was something wrong with my heart but then I stumbled across a blog about panic attacks and anxiety and it was a real 'light bulb' moment.

"There, laid out crystal clear, were my symptoms - the heart palpitations, pins and needles in my hands, the sense of dread and doom, chest and shoulder pains, hot flushes, light-headedness."

However, Mal is hoping that this new local group will help men to open up, be vulnerable, and get the help they need if they are dealing with their mental health issues.

He said: "It was only when I asked for help and started to talk that I felt better.

"There is no quick fix but you can learn to manage stress and anxiety with the right support."