White Ribbon Day: 25th November

Barry Ewart recently wrote on Leeds Wellbeing Web about Leeds Men’s Health Network. He sent us a follow up about the 16 days of action around the “White Ribbon” campaigh which highlights issues around domestic abuse. Barry writes:

“LMHN CALLS FOR ZERO TOLERANCE OF ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.”

Leeds Men’s Health Network (LMHN) is supporting this year’s White Ribbon Campaign and its 16 days of action around 25/11/13.  The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) aims to get men to address issues of domestic violence against women.  See www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk

• In Leeds we will have a WRC city-centre walk on Monday the 25^th of November which will leave the WRC Tree in Park Square at 11.00 am and will finish at Leeds Metropolitan University, City Campus, Leeds LS2 at 11.45 am and we have invited Chris Chittell from Emmerdale Farm to join us on the walk.  At 12.00 in Room PD210 (for those who wish to stay) there will be a talk hosted by The National Centre for Men’s Health on, ‘Men in Sheds – valuing the human potential of older men’ by Will Gore from The Groundwork Trust.
• LMHN is also encouraging children’s centres, schools, libraries and voluntary groups in the city to do something for the action days and this could be simply wrapping a tree with white ribbons.

1. LMHN recognises that most domestic violence is by men against women and needs addressing.
2. LMHN also recognises that domestic violence against men is a problem that needs addressing.
3. LMHN further recognises that domestic violence is also an issue in same sex partnerships and this too also needs addressing.
4. LMHN believes that we should have a zero tolerance of all forms of domestic abuse whoever is the perpetrator.

Since domestic violence homicide reviews were introduced two years ago they have shown that eleven women were killed in Leeds alone.

USEFUL CONTACTS;

• Female victims – Leeds Domestic Violence Helpline 0113 246 0401
• Same Sex Partnerships – Broken Rainbow 0300 999 5428
• Male victims – Men’s Advice Line www.menshealthadviceline.org.uk/   0808 801 0327
• Respect Helpline for Perpetrators 0808 802 4040

Leeds Men’s Health Network Contacts:

Chair:  Claude Hendrickson E Mail: hopperuk@me.com Tel. 07831 480 196 (Mobile) 0113 262 2270 (Office)

Secretary:  Barry Ewart E Mail: b.r.ewart@leeds.ac.uk Tel. 0113 343 4358 (Office)

Treasurer:  Richard Lancaster E Mail: richard.lancaster@healthforall.org.uk Tel. 07931 659 434 (Mobile) 0113 276 2720 (Office)

Hope for Progress on Men’s Health in Leeds

Barry Ewart co-ordinates the Leeds Men’s Health Network (LMHN), and agreed to do us a guest blog about the work they do. He says:

Potentially exciting times for Leeds Men’s Health Network (LMHN) as we have just got Leeds City Council’s Scrutiny Committee to agree to examine men’s health as part of their investigation into, ‘Narrowing the Gap’ in the city.  We are also working with Public Health and one of their officers now attends our meetings.

Members of the ‘Wild Bunch’ ecotherapy and philosophy group

If you want general information on men’s health then the National Men’s Health Forum website is very useful see www.menshealthforum.org.uk/   In Leeds we are also lucky that Leeds Met. University hosts The National Centre for Men’s Health and this is led by Professor of Men’s Health, Alan White and a small team of researchers see www.leedsmet.ac.uk/research/mens-health.htm

Some further good news for LMHN is that we have just acquired a New Chair in Claude Hendrickson from the Race Card Project based at Leeds West Indian Centre and we are to now have Executive Committee meetings of the officers in between our quarterly meetings of the Network.  We also hope to have guest speakers at future meetings to cover topics such as ‘Men and Gambling’, ‘Homelessness and Men’ (hopefully with someone from The Big Issue) plus someone from one of the Clinical Commissioning Groups in Leeds so that we can hear how they may be commissioning services for men in Leeds, and as always we are open to ideas for topics from members.

We are currently planning for The White Ribbon Campaign 16 days of action around the 25^th of November 2013 (this aims to get men to address issues of domestic violence by men) and we hope to have a city centre walk starting from the White Ribbon Tree in Park Square.  We further hope to have a celebrity from Emmerdale Farm joining us on the walk and there may also be a seminar on men’s health at the Centre for Men’s Health, Queen Square, following the walk.  We will as usual also be encouraging voluntary groups to do something around The White Ribbon days of action and we hope to get schools, libraries and children’s centres to do something such as wrapping a tree with white ribbons which they have done in previous years.   We hope to finalise our plans very soon and for further information on The White Ribbon Campaign see www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk

Also for anyone interested, ‘Leeds Let’s Get Active’ has just been launched and this is aimed at people who may not do any physical activity and there is free use of Leeds City Council leisure centres during selected activities.  See www.leeds.gov.uk/llga or e mail:  rachel.brighton2@leeds.gov.uk

Finally our next meeting of the Network is on Wednesday the 4^th of December, 2.00pm at Leeds Civic Hall and anyone interested in men’s health is welcome to attend.  You can also join Leeds Men’s Health Network which is free by just e mailing me at: b.r.ewart@leeds.ac.uk

With best wishes, Barry Ewart, Secretary, Leeds Men’s Health Network.