Oakwood Training

15/06/2026

Did you know that 1 in 5 men won’t live long enough to see their 65th birthday?

- Three-quarters of su***des are men
- Three-quarters of deaths linked to cardiovascular disease are men
- We’re more likely to die from cancer
- Twice as likely to have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes
- We're more likely to drink to dangerous levels and smoke.
- 60% of men say they wouldn’t bring up concerns about prostate cancer for fear of having a re**al exam.

Despite all that, men and middle-aged men in particular have the lowest rates of engagement with doctors than any other group. The stats can’t be explained by one single factor, but attitudes around asking for help certainly play a role, and we can absolutely do something about that.

It's the start of and Oakwood Founder Terry Streather asks: Are you ‘man enough’ to admit to yourself that one day, things will probably go wrong mentally or physically? None of us is superhuman, and we are no different from every other man out there.

We might convince or delude ourselves that ‘manning up’ and not talking about worries is all rather stoic, a way to maintain dignity, independence and heroic toughness.

We need to get over ourselves.

Yes it might be scary and uncomfortable, but we are literally dying from embarrassment.

11/06/2026

Loneliness affects us all at various times throughout our lives. We are hard-wired as humans to need social connections.

It's a normal human emotion. By building our understanding, we can help ourselves and others manage the feeling.

Loneliness Awareness Week 2026 takes place from 15–21 June. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the global campaign.

Learn about loneliness and how to feel more connected 👇
https://www.lonelinessawarenessweek.org/loneliness

Learn what loneliness is, why it happens, and how it affects people at different stages of life. Part of Loneliness Awareness Week.

10/06/2026

Men’s Health Week is next week. It's a reminder that workplace wellbeing isn’t just about policies or awareness days, it’s about whether people genuinely feel able to speak up, ask for help and support one another when it matters most.

In many male-dominated industries, those conversations still don’t come easily.

That’s why our latest newsletter explores the importance of creating workplace cultures where openness around mental health feels normal, practical and supported.

We’ve also shared insights from our work with Platform Housing Group and why real conversations, not just statistics, make the biggest difference.

👇 Read the newsletter below to explore the conversation further.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mens-mental-health-why-conversation-matters-more-than-p8zee/

Men’s Health Week, 15th–21st June, is a chance to reflect on how we support the men in our teams, workplaces and communities. - More than 720,000 people die by su***de globally every year (World Health Organisation) - Globally, men are more than twice as likely to die by su***de than women (Inst...

09/06/2026

Since partnering with Platform Housing Group in 2018, Oakwood has supported them with conflict management, de-escalation and lone worker training, along with Mental Health First Aid and bespoke mental health and wellbeing programmes.

It's been a pleasure working with their Health and Safety Manager, Haydn Hobbs, and we're very grateful for his kind words:

" We wanted a genuine approach, something real and relatable that would help our people talk openly about sensitive and personal topics. Oakwood understands that the messenger is just as important as the message, especially when conversations involve mental health, su***de awareness and wellbeing.

Oakwood’s expertise and trainers' lived experience have been invaluable in helping us build awareness, confidence and capability across our workforce. We look forward to continuing our partnership and further strengthening these vital areas together."

https://www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk/portfolio/platform-housing-group/

Platform Housing Group Mental Health Training case study showcasing how Oakwood Training supports teams with practical mental health awareness and workplace wellbeing.

04/06/2026

Since partnering with Lloyds Banking Group in 2018, we have supported with conflict management and de-escalation training, along with bespoke mental health, resilience and wellbeing programmes.

Find out more 👇
https://www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk/portfolio/lloyds-banking-group/

Lloyds Banking Group are the UK’s largest retail and commercial financial services provider. Since partnering with them in 2018, we have supported with conflict management and de-escalation training, along with bespoke mental health, resilience and wellbeing programmes.

03/06/2026

Did you know that 1 in 5 men won’t live long enough to see their 65th birthday?

- Three-quarters of su***des are men
- Three-quarters of deaths linked to cardiovascular disease are men
- We’re more likely to die from cancer
- Twice as likely to have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes
- We're more likely to drink to dangerous levels and smoke.
- 60% of men say they wouldn’t bring up concerns about prostate cancer for fear of having a re**al exam.

Despite all that, men and middle-aged men in particular have the lowest rates of engagement with doctors than any other group. The stats can’t be explained by one single factor, but attitudes around asking for help certainly play a role, and we can absolutely do something about that.

In 2 weeks it's ....Oakwood Founder Terry Streather asks: Are you ‘man enough’ to admit to yourself that one day, things will probably go wrong mentally or physically? None of us is superhuman, and we are no different from every other man out there.

We might convince or delude ourselves that ‘manning up’ and not talking about worries is all rather stoic, a way to maintain dignity, independence and heroic toughness.

We need to get over ourselves.

Yes it might be scary and uncomfortable, but we are literally dying from embarrassment.

02/06/2026

Just 5% of employees would approach their line manager if they were struggling with their mental health, and new research from Vitality suggests that the consequences of this silence are landing squarely on the balance sheets of UK employers and the claims books of insurers.

Employee assistance programmes (EAP) have long been positioned as a first line of defence, but utilisation data tells a troubling story.

Only 5–7% of employees globally use the wellbeing support their employer pays for.

When employees fear stigma or career impact, and managers fear saying the wrong thing, silence fills the gap....

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/life-insurance/mental-health-disclosure-gap-puts-employers-at-risk-of-hidden-productivity-crisis-vitality-warns-577146.aspx

New research exposes a yawning gap between employer assumptions and employee reality - and it carries serious implications for the group health market

01/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who volunteers 👏😊

Volunteers' Week is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering in their communities.

Find out more and get free resources and Toolkits for organisations: https://volunteersweek.org/about

Find out more about the campaign, who's involved in the planning and development, plus more.

29/05/2026

Weekly round up....

🌍 Conflict Management and De-Escalation training with a global retailer with whom we've been working since 2021, with courses in England this week

🧠 Mental Health First Aid refresher training with Greene King, the UK's largest managed pub company, where we have trained hundreds of Mental Health First Aiders since 2019.

🛡️Conflict Management, De-Escalation and Lone Worker training with Catch 22 who we have had the pleasure of working with since 2012.

Take care and have a great weekend 😊

28/05/2026

We're very grateful to Ashley Brooks, Head of UK Security Operations at Tesco for his kind words and support.

It's been a pleasure developing customised training for Tesco that we have tailored around their specific needs. This has included managing conflict, dealing with traumatic/critical incidents, building resilience and enhancing wellbeing.