Andy's Man Club: Market Deeping venue to host free fundraising music festival for men's mental health support group

A popular music venue in Market Deeping will be hosting a music festival to help support Andy’s Man Club, a charity which helps men deal with pressing mental health issues.

The ever-popular Iron Horse Ranch House will showcase three bands and two solo acts on Saturday September 23, all of whom have agreed to perform for free to help raise funds and awareness for the charity.

The event is being organised by Kirsty King with help from the lead facilitator of the Huntingdon branch of Andy's Man Club, Gary Clarke.

Kirsty told the Peterborough Telegraph that her main motivation for putting on the event is to help spread the word about Andy’s Man Club.

“The work they do is invaluable,” she said: “we should be shouting about it from the rooftops.”

Andy’s Man Club is a national charity which holds weekly meetings to help men with their mental health. Many men have cited the charity’s efforts as being pivotal in helping them get through tough times.

Kirsty, who is also the lead singer of the covers band, Halo, has experienced for herself how devastating mental health issues can be.

“I’ve had some male friends pass away from suicide due to mental health problems,” she shared, “so this charity resonates quite a lot with me.“

“More people need to know that men have somewhere to go and someone to talk to.”

Along with music, drink, food and a raffle, the music festival will have a ‘talking corner’. This will be a place, Kirsty says, for any men who may feel the need to have a conversation about things that are bothering them.

“The team from Andy’s Man Club will be on hand to do that,” she said.

The event is due to start at 4pm and scheduled to ‘go on until late’.

Kirsty promises a good time will be had by all and that the event will be a “nice, fun way of raising money.” Entry will cost £5 and hopes are that £1,000 can be raised.

“All the proceeds will go direct to the charity to use as they see fit,” she added, with the aim being to help the region’s four local clubs spread the word and improve their resources.