NWP manager builds safe space for men’s mental health through weekly walks
As Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on the importance of emotional wellbeing, one Nationwide Platforms manager is making a lasting difference through a weekly men’s mental health walk in Warwick.
Men Walking and Talking is a mental health initiative that brings men together for regular walks, creating a safe, stigma-free space to talk and support one another. Founded in 2021 by Dan Reid in Telford, where the first ever walk had just one attendee, the movement has since grown to 37 walks across 16 counties.
The Warwick Walk, which leaves from outside Warwick Racecourse’s main gates at 7PM and lasts around an hour, was launched by Jason McCrae, Major Projects Manager, in December 2024 and welcomed 26 people on its very first evening. It is one of more than 35 such walks now running across the country, part of a growing movement that encourages men to prioritise mental health through conversation and community.
Jason’s journey began in 2023 as someone in need of support. “I’d been made redundant twice in three months, and I was in a very, very low place,” he says. “I didn’t want to get out of bed and, like a lot of blokes, I just didn’t want to talk about it. A friend of my wife saw a post about the walk online and after a fair bit of encouragement I decided to go. But when I got there, I just sat in the car. I didn’t want to get out.”
Everything changed when Mark, the Kenilworth walk leader, noticed him. “He saw me and made eye contact,” said Jason, “Nothing major, just a look -- and in that moment, I thought, well he’s seen me now, I can’t back out.
“It’s hard to explain, but just getting out of the car and talking to Mark -- that was massive. We spoke briefly, and I broke down because I just felt overwhelmed with everything I’d bottled up. But after that, something shifted in me. I think without that, I wouldn’t be here today.”
That experience proved to be a turning point. Jason kept going, completed mental health training, and decided to bring the initiative to Warwick, where he became a walk leader and where he has been helping other men ever since. The group has since grown to include a WhatsApp support network and online Zoom sessions on Tuesday evenings. These sessions provide men within the group with a safe space where they can open up about how they are feeling and provide each other with support.
Today, he not only leads the weekly walk but supports others as a trained Mental Health First Aider at Nationwide Platforms.
“I got my Mental Health First Aider certificate through the Men’s Walking and Talking Group, and then when Nationwide Platforms asked me if I wanted to be one of their Mental Health First Aiders I was immediately on board.
“It’s a great company, and it’s brilliant to be able to take what I’ve learned from the walking and talking groups and apply it to an entirely different context. They’ve been hugely supportive in raising awareness of this initiative and in supporting my efforts as a Mental Health First Aider both in and outside of work.
Jason explains that one of the most powerful aspects of the walk is its simplicity.
“On the walks you aren’t obliged to open up. You’re not sat in the spotlight being asked about why you feel a certain way, which for some people can feel daunting. You’re with other men who are struggling with the same or similar things, and you’re walking side by side, chatting. Sometimes the conversations are serious, but sometimes they’re casual. The point is that just showing up and being a part of something, having a third place outside of home and work – that’s enough, and it can transform everything, like it did for me.”
Jason’s story reflects Nationwide Platforms’ wider commitment to wellbeing. The company takes a proactive and organisation-wide approach to mental health, ensuring that support is embedded at every level of the business, and it has a wide network of Mental Health First Aiders, including Jason himself, to ensure peer support is always accessible. These accredited roles are treated with the same seriousness as physical first aid, and form part of a broader wellbeing strategy centred on early intervention, open conversation and practical support.
“We want every employee to feel supported—whether they’re dealing with everyday stress or something more serious,” said Charlie Stanley, HR Director at Nationwide Platforms. “That’s why we’ve built a culture that doesn’t just ‘tick the box’ on mental health, but genuinely prioritises it. From Mental Health First Aiders across the business, to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, we’re making it clear that no one has to face things alone.”
In addition to offering round-the-clock support, all managers at NWP receive mental health training to ensure wellbeing is championed from the top down. The business also supports internal awareness campaigns, and encourages employees to get involved with wellbeing initiatives both inside and outside of work, including community programmes like Jason’s Warwick walk.
For more information on the Warwick Walk: Men Walking and Talking – Warwick Walk