Tony, from Stafford, discovered Olio about a year ago, almost by accident. He was watching morning TV when someone came on to talk about savings and vouchers, and mentioned the app. By the time the segment had finished, he’d already downloaded it.
When he started using the app, Tony noticed that there were a lot of pastries up for grabs on the app on Sundays. One week he requested a couple, then turned to his wife with an idea. These would still be fresh on Monday, so why not take some along to Andy’s Man Club?
ANDYSMANCLUB is a weekly meeting where men can talk openly about their mental health without being judged. Today, thousands of men across the country attend every Monday.
“ANDYSMANCLUB was founded in 2016 in Halifax, West Yorkshire, following the death by suicide of Andrew (“Andy”) Roberts, who was just 23 years old. Andy’s family had no idea he had been struggling with his mental health, which led them to ask how other men could be encouraged to talk before reaching crisis point.”
At the club, the men have a name for Tony. He’s “the pastry guy,” and it’s a name he’s proud of. Those free pastries he carries in each week help ease the way into some difficult, honest conversations.
“The beauty of Olio is that it lets me get enough pastries together to take to Andy’s Man Club. A small gesture that helps men who go on to share some pretty harrowing stories.”
Tony collects his pastries from a couple of neighbours who live nearby and have a lot of baked goods to share.
“I usually have between 30 and 40, which is great, as the number of men attending is growing all the time.”
Tony admits that these Monday meetings aren’t always easy.
“I don’t attend every week, as ironically some of the stories I hear affect my own mental health.”
He knows exactly what’s at stake. At his very first meeting, one man had come in while his wife waited outside in the car, because she knew he was in a really bad place.
“I’m sure it has literally saved lives – when men have admitted they need help.”
Olio helps Tony and his family in other ways too. He had to retire earlier than he’d hoped on medical grounds, and lives with complex PTSD after serving in the armed forces in Northern Ireland.
What does Olio mean to you?
“Olio means so much to me and my family. I had to retire a little sooner than I would have liked on medical grounds. I’m 65, and the food I get from Olio means we can always have nutritious meals without it breaking our bank.”