Perthshire Charity Helping Save Lives Could Grow Again

Auction funding aided expansion

A men’s suicide prevention charity with growing impact in Perthshire could continue to expand with key funding from the 18th Perth Silent Auction, which launched last Friday.

Alex McClintock and fellow co-founders considered disbanding ANDYSMANCLUB back in 2017 in Perth when no one showed up for weeks.

Now the charity, which aims to end stigma around men’s mental health, is welcoming 60-70 men per week across the region, supporting them to turn their lives around.

Charities to benefit

ANDYSMANCLUB is one of 3 chosen charities which Rotary Club of Perth is supporting this year through their Silent Auction and Alex revealed it was proceeds received in 2023 which enabled the charity’s expansion beyond Perth city.

They now have groups every Monday at McDiarmid Park in Perth, Gleneagles Hotel and Loch Leven Community Campus in Kinross.

Looking at further venues to connect more men for peer-to-peer support has not been ruled out.

“It was the Silent Auction funding the last time which helped us start the Kinross group,” said the former Prison service employee, who has also derived huge personal strength from the charity on his own mental health journey.

“The funds are really important. It will help us with rent and coffee, we go through a lot of coffee, with 60-70 guys a week!”

“When we started out in Perth, no one would have imagined we’d have grown the way we have,” he added.

“Men will talk at the football or in the work’s van, like ‘how was your weekend’ but they don’t talk about the things they need to be talking about. They tend not to say, ‘I’m struggling’.

“That, I think, is where we have bucked the trend. The more we are talking about mental health, we are normalising it. People realise they are not alone, feeling the way they do, and that is empowering.”

Stories of hope

Alex (51) is now full-time Head of Groups Scotland for ANDYSMANCLUB, having been involved for over 8 years, and has just started Ironman training.

However, he, too, is grateful to the charity after recovering from addiction, relationship, and medication issues which culminated in a breakdown in 2015.

“I realise how important the groups are because I’ve experienced poor mental health myself,” he said.

“I genuinely thought I was the only person going through what I was going through but the more I talk about it, the easier it becomes for me.

“We don’t promise to fix people, but we support them to fix themselves. We see success stories through the groups all the time, which is great.”

Online bidding on Perth Silent Auction is now open with Perth in Bloom and the Cornhill Palliative Care Unit at PRI also set to benefit.

Established in 2007 by Rotarians, Perth Silent Auction broke the half a million-pound mark for monies raised for charity, last year- for more, go to.

Well over 100 lots are now open to view and bid on, ranging from Tay salmon fishing, to massages, luxury stays, fine dining, golf and sporting events and experiences.

Rotarian and auction convener David Lindsay, who has been pivotal to the Auction from the outset, said: “The 2024 Silent Auction raised more than £30 000 and, with the charitable sector in Perth and Kinross coming under increasing pressure, every penny raised will be very welcome.

“It never ceases to amaze us how generous the businesses and people of Perth and Kinross are in supporting the Auction.”

The Cameron Motor Group are backing the Auction again, alongside an anonymous benefactor.

Lots can be donated and bids taken on www.perthsilentauction.co.uk, with the lots going under the hammer from 10am on Saturday December 13th.