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We at the Guardians Guild want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who attended our meet up last night in loving memory of our eternally-missed VP Jim.

Jim’s son Archie, and youngest Guild member, gave a moving tribute to his dad and also passed on his heartfelt thanks to everyone who came.

It was an emotional rollercoaster of an evening, with everyone sharing their own stories of a man who dedicated his life to being there for other people. Not only did he spend 20 years of his life serving the community as a job, but also offered up his free time to found and support the Guild in championing men’s mental health.

Jim could never be replaced. He was one of life’s true good people and a rare gem. He will always be missed.

I would personally like to shout out to our partners who came together to support us at this tough time. A massive thank you to Ginnie at the Wall Heath Tavern and Jak at the Rajput for hosting us. A heartfelt thank you to the guys and gals at AWW for their ongoing love and support, and another big thank you to the lovely folks at SS Tattoos for always being there for us. We’re looking forward to working with them to immortalise Jim’s memory in ink.

Finally, as always, thanks to our members and everyone who rocked up last night. Big, big love all around!

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we have to announce that Jim, our beloved Vice President, Director, and original brother of the guild passed away suddenly on the morning of Saturday 8th August.

The entire guild has been devastated by his loss and the wound this has left on all of us feels like it will never be fully healed. Having said this, we know that even in his darkest times Jim would never have left another brother behind, and we are committed to making this Thursday’s meet up a time for everyone to come together to remember him.

Our core mission is to be there for one another, and there has never been a more relevant occasion than this.

This Thursday’s meeting is not a meeting exclusively for men. It is a meeting for absolutely anyone who knew Jim. Friends, family, work colleagues, guild-mates, we don’t care…

So please join us in pouring one out for a fallen, but never forgotten brother:

Thursday 13th August – 6pm

The Wall Heath Tavern, 12-14 High St, Wall Heath, DY6 0HB

Followed by a curry at:

Rajput Indian Restaurant

4 High St, Wall Heath, DY6 0HA

We’ve had another few busy weeks! We had our monthly “Have a Drink With Us” meet up, starting at the Wall Heath Tavern and heading over to the Rajput for a curry afterwards. I don’t know if it was the weather but we had a great turnout for this meeting! Loads of familiar faces as well as a couple of new faces too! Another great evening and, as always, a big thank you to the two venues who hosted us. Always nice to be welcomed. If you want to join us next month, our next meet up is on Thursday 13th August. Check our Events page for more details.

On another note, we’re really thrilled to announce a new partnership with Stourbridge’s Courtside Pickleball! Pickleball is a fast-growing trend that is easy to pick up and not as strenuous as other racket sports. None of us have ever played before so we’re really looking forward to our future “Pickle With Us” events, beginning this Friday 24th August. Again, check the Events page for more info!

Well, it has been a busy few months! Apologies to everyone for not keeping the website updated, that’s entirely my (Rich’s) fault! We have been keeping the socials updated though, so please use those for the most up-to-date info on what we’re up to.

Anyway… It’s time for a bit of a bumper update!

Mental Health First Aid Training

We’re pleased to announce that almost all of our directors are now MHFA trained! This was a fun, two day course run by our close friends and charity partners Black Country Mental Health. Off the back of this, we now have 3 fully qualified mental health first aiders in the ranks, and more to follow!

Continued Meet Ups

Obviously, we’ve been continuing our regular “Have a drink with us” events and we’re now looking at a number of other events that offer more options for folks that might want to get outside in the fresh air or even do some sports. Lots of potential options on the cards for the future so watch this space!

Fighting for our Green Spaces

Back in April, the Guardians turned out for a community-organised walk around “The Triangle”, an area of green space opposite the Summerhill School. This area is subject to an outline planning application for a few hundred new homes. Whilst the Guild is supportive of the need for new housing, as a men’s mental health organisation, we know first-hand how positive the effects of being out in nature can be for mental health. Therefore, we joined in to support the community in protest against the proposed estate. This involved walking and documenting the local plants and wildlife and was organised by the petition committee.

If nothing else, it was a great excuse just to get out and walk in the fresh air. It was a lovely morning and the walk was enjoyed by all!

A T-Shirt for the Rajput

Yesterday, Daz and I headed over to the Rajput to drop off a gift! For all their support and sponsorship, we presented Jak with a coveted, Guardians Guild t-shirt. We even got it printed in the proper colours! So, next time you’re enjoying a curry, keep your eyes open for the Guardians!

Come and join us for our first official guild meet up!

The time has finally come for us to get out into the community and start spreading the word in person. We will be having monthly meetings open to anyone who wants to come along, share their stories, or just be amongst the brotherhood. No judgement, no shame, just blokes helping blokes.

Details of the event:

Tuesday 3rd March

7pm

The Bridge Inn,

Moss Grove,

Kingswinford,

DY6 9HH

Afterwards, we’ll be heading off to our partnered restaurant Rajput, Wall Heath for a well-deserved curry, and if you join us on the night you can enjoy a 10% discount!

We’ll see you there!