The barbers getting Leeds talking about mental health with Andy’s Man Club
“Traditionally, men aren’t seen to be particularly open to talking about their feelings, so if we can help to encourage people to share their stories and feel supported, that’s a real positive for us.”
W2 Barbers has teamed up with men's mental health charity Andy's Man Club to get Leeds talking about its mental health, and offering haircuts for a good cause at the same time.
On Sunday 14 August 2022 from 11am - 3pm, W2 on Easterly Road, Oakwood will be offering haircuts, beard trims and mini facials to those in attendance, all whilst raising money for the worthy charity.
The idea is that barbers are already well-known for being confidential listeners and advice-givers, so by introducing Andy's Man Club as a further place to seek support in a confidential, relaxed environment, the fundraiser hopes to raise awareness for mental health support.
Image: Supplied
All proceeds during these hours will be donated to Andy's Man Club, plus there will be plenty of music and games, as well as a BBQ with the team from AMC on hand to chat about the services that the charity provides.
This fundraiser isn't a one off, but rather a monthly occurrence- and so far the collaborative event over £1,400, but are hoping to hit the £1,500 mark this weekend.
The Halifax-born mental health charity relies predominantly on donations to run their 100+ sessions across the UK.
Here in Leeds, Andy’s Man Club hosts its sessions every Monday at 7pm at Leeds College of Building, North Street, Milford Sports Club, Kirkstall and Vale Circles, Beeston.
Richard Wyatt, owner of W2 Barbers said: “We’re honoured to be working with Andy’s Man Club to try and provide help to the men of Leeds.
“Traditionally, men aren’t seen to be particularly open to talking about their feelings, so if we can help to encourage people to share their stories and feel supported, that’s a real positive for us.”
Image: W2 Barbers
Liam Pearce, Facilitator at Andy’s Man Club Leeds said: “We’re so grateful to W2 for hosting these events to raise money for our cause. Many attendees have mentioned how helpful the events have been in encouraging them to take that first step, reach out and talk to someone about their mental health.
“Everyone is welcome, and we look forward to meeting more people next weekend!”
To find out more about Andy's Man Club, including how you can support the charity, or find support from their dedicated team, visit the Andy's Man Club website.
Feature Image- Supplied
Leeds
No Greek Tragedy, just indie bangers – The Wombats set Leeds’ First Direct Arena alight
The Wombats aren’t just still going strong - they’re getting better. And honestly? Long may they reign.
The Wombats absolutely tore the roof off the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night, Wednesday 26 March and what a night it was.
From the second they hit the stage it wasn’t just a gig, it was a full-blown indie-pop spectacle, packed with infectious energy, nostalgia, and a whole lot of dancing.
They kicked things off with “Moving to New York,” and honestly? The crowd was in from the first note.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Matthew Murphy’s unmistakable vocals rang through the arena and suddenly, thousands of people were screaming every lyric like it was 2007 all over again. It was one of those moments where you could just feel how much this band still means to people.
Despite the massive venue, The Wombats somehow made it feel intimate. The lights? Pure chaos in the best way - vibrant, colourful, and totally in sync with the band’s wild, bouncy sound.
Murphy’s cheeky banter between songs made it feel less like a polished arena show and more like a jam session with a few thousand of your closest mates.
Setlist-wise, they nailed it. “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Greek Tragedy” had the whole place losing it, while the stripped-down version of “Techno Fan” gave everyone a minute to breathe (and maybe get a little emotional).
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Those quieter moments just made the high-energy choruses hit even harder. It was a rollercoaster - in the best way possible.
Then came the encore. If you thought the crowd was loud before, “Kill the Director” took things to another level. Pure, chaotic indie bliss. The kind of moment you don’t want to end.
Here’s the thing about The Wombats: some might say their older songs hit harder than their newer stuff, but is that just nostalgia talking? Or maybe it’s a generational thing?
Either way, they proved they’re still one of the most exciting live bands out there. They’ve still got the hooks, the humour, and the ability to turn a massive arena into a sweaty, euphoric singalong.
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
Danny Jones
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Sophie Smith -
11th August 2022 
