The founder of Aberdeen-based Man Chat has announced he is stepping down from his role as the mental health group’s “main man”.
Wray Thomson first started the community group and social media support platform four years ago after struggling with his own mental health.
Man Chat has grown from receiving emails from a handful each week to corresponding with thousands, and hosts regular meetings in the city to provide a space for men to be heard, understood and helped.
Mr Thomson took to social media today to share his “difficult decision” to stand down, stating it has been “an honour to serve the men and mental health of our part of Scotland”.
Lives ‘saved and changed’
In the post, he wrote: “My sole aim has been to raise awareness to mens’ mental health in our corner of the north-east. I’ve worked myself to the bone. I haven’t always got things right, at times I’ve felt broken, dejected, stressed, under scrutiny and pressure.
“But have ultimately managed to build and sustain something quite impossible in an area of the country where getting men to open up is beyond difficult.
“I exceeded my own expectations of what I’m capable of and I’m extremely proud of what I’ve managed to achieve. The lives that have been saved and changed. Its really difficult to list it all.”
More than 100 people have shared comments under his post calling him an “unsung hero” and praising him for his “phenomenal” work across the north-east.
Forming a new team
The north-east comedian added that he will be taking some time to focus on his career and family, but will always be Man Chat’s founder, advocate and spokesman.
There are no plans for Man Chat to end but meetings will be paused for a few weeks while a new team is put in place.
Mr Thomson added: “I want to say thank you to everyone I have met over the past few years. It’s in the thousands. And it would be so hard to list them all.
“I’m excited to see what the new team puts in place and how they build upon what is already there.
“Ultimately, it will always be my baby and I’ll always be the ‘manager’ as such, but its time for me to focus on other avenues and trust people to run it for me. I’m tearing up now.”