The Aggression Sessions Fund supported Wellbeing 4 Men CIC to run a 22-week fitness programme for men in Durham City.
A £2,115 grant helped the group buy sports equipment and hire a qualified instructor, creating weekly sessions where men could improve their fitness, build friendships and talk more openly about their wellbeing. The programme supported 41 men, including 36 who were new to the organisation.
Offering a space for men to connect and improve their wellbeing
Wellbeing 4 Men CIC was set up in 2019 to support men and boys with their mental health and personal development. The organisation works with people experiencing poverty, isolation, disadvantage, inequality or social exclusion.
For many men, support does not always start with a formal conversation about mental health. It can start with a football, a pair of boxing gloves, a weights session or a reason to leave the house.
The Aggression Sessions Fund provides grants to community projects across County Durham. It supports sports clubs and community organisations that help people take part in regular physical activity, while improving physical and mental health.
Wellbeing 4 Men’s story: fitness without judgement
Wellbeing 4 Men used the funding to run flexible weekly sessions from Waddy Feel Good and Wharton Park in Durham City.
The programme was designed around the realities of men’s lives. People taking part were aged 22 to 67, with different work patterns, family commitments and fitness levels. Sessions needed to be flexible, welcoming and easy to take part in.
The grant paid for sports equipment and a qualified instructor to lead football, boxing, weight training and high-intensity interval training circuits. Exercises were adapted so that men could join in at their own level.
That mattered. The sessions created a relaxed environment where men could exercise without feeling judged, and where trust could build over time.
By the end of the programme, all 41 men reported feeling less lonely and more physically active. 90% said their mental wellbeing had improved.
One 33-year-old man first joined the programme to improve his fitness. Over time, he became someone who helped newer people feel welcome.
As the organisers explained:
“He helped newer participants feel welcome. He now feels more comfortable looking after himself and speaking openly about his wellbeing.”
The difference the grant made
Even though the formal programme has ended, many of the men have continued meeting informally to exercise and support each other.
That is a strong sign that the project did more than deliver 22 weeks of activity. It helped people build relationships and habits they wanted to keep.
Through the Aggression Sessions Fund, Point North helps funding reach community organisations that know how to make sport accessible. For Wellbeing 4 Men, that meant 41 men had a place to move, talk, build confidence and feel less alone.