The Bishop of Norwich learned about the work of his Bishopsgate neighbours MensCraft during a visit this week.
The charity helps men and boys across Norfolk and Waveney navigate times of stress and crisis to lead happier, healthier lives. It moved to 35 Bishopsgate, Norwich, at the beginning of the year.
A team of staff and volunteers work with 500 men and boys each year including people needing support around adolescence, fatherhood, job-loss or retirement, those experiencing hopelessness or suicidal thoughts and people in contact with the criminal justice system.
Its creative and therapeutic programmes include mental health support, a cooking workshop called pies for guys, parenting support, history walks, conservation work, art sessions, mentoring and an allotment.
Members can be referred, sometimes by family or friends, or self-refer. During Bishop Graham’s visit he met two people who had been helped by MensCraft and now volunteer with the charity. A former police officer said: “If it wasn’t for MensCraft and the people sitting here, I wouldn’t be here.” Another, who lost the career he loved due to to ill health, said: “I lost my sense of purpose and found it so helpful to have something to come to, a place to talk to other people from all walks of life. After a while I thought I would look to put something back.”
Bishop Graham tried a conversation-starter exercise, designed to get adolescents talking. Asked to pick his most important value from a series of words he chose ‘love’ saying: “Jesus commanded us, ‘Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’”
He said: “It was great to see MensCraft’s new home and learn about their inspiring work. I was impressed by all they do to support boys and men. May God richly bless them in these endeavours which are so much about finding life in all its fullness.”
Menscraft was founded in 2007, helping teenagers navigate adolescence in response to single mums searching for positive male role models for their sons. It now helps men and boys embrace healthy masculinity and build lives that are good for themselves and those around them.
It set up Norwich’s first Men’s Shed in 2013 and now runs 13 informal drop-in groups across Norfolk and Waveney including in Diss, Thetford, Lowestoft, Wymondham, Great Yarmouth Aylsham and Norwich.
