Ely’s Men Walking and Talking mental health group to expand

A man who has struggled to cope with the death of his sister wants to set up more walking groups to help men.

James Clements, from Wicken, near Ely, in Cambridgeshire, got in touch with the Men Walking and Talking, external (MWAT) mental health movement after seeing a short film on the BBC’s The One Show.

When he discovered the movement had no groups in his county, Clements launched one in Ely and now wants to create three more MWAT walks across Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

“I find this group so beneficial – the element of walking and talking, I just really enjoy every moment of it,” said Clements.

“I would encourage anybody just to come and try it and just give it a go.”

Clements was 15 when his 21-year-old sister died from cancer.

The 44-year-old said he had found her death difficult to deal with and had since struggled with his mental health despite receiving some counselling.

The father-of-two, who works in adult social care, started the weekly walking group in Ely last July.

Men can meet at 19: 00 on Tuesdays throughout the year at Barton Road car park.

The Cambridgeshire group is one of only two currently in East Anglia, with the other in Chelmsford.

Clements said he was now working to expand the group, and planning to host events in Milton in Cambridgeshire, and Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk.

He wanted anyone interested in taking part to contact him via the MWAT website.

It was hoped once walks had taken place in each location, a group leader would eventually take over to hold them on a regular basis.

“We’ve made so many bonds and friendships and there are a lot of guys that meet outside the group because they’ve built such a strong bond,” said Clements.

MWAT was created by Dan Reid in Telford, Shropshire, in 2021, and now has more than 50 branches across the UK.

It welcomes men over the age of 18 and allows people to meet up and talk openly.

A total of 20,571 men attended a walk in 2025 – more than double the 7,886 figure in 2024.