TWO Clevedon residents have set up a Talk Club to allow men a safe space to express their thoughts and feelings.

Working with Talk Club, a mental health charity, Simon Johnson and Stephen Hoare are running the free weekly sessions every Monday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at The Mortgage Centre.

The first session was held yesterday (Monday, January 29).

Speaking about the motivation behind setting up the club, Simon said: "This is for men’s mental health and aimed to prevent men feeling low in mood and suicides.

"Both of us have had personal experience of struggling with mental health issues in the past and now want to help others in a similar position."

The Talk Club charity aims to encourage people across the country to open up about their mental health.

The organisation's website reads: "Talk Club is a UK male mental health charity helping men to improve their mental health.

"We prefer to call it mental fitness because our talking groups actively help men to understand how they’re feeling by asking ‘How are you? Out of 10?’ then explaining why.

"It helps to build resilience, and the numbers prove it."