Men's group consistently talk the talk and walk the walk to better wellbeing

Bathurst Men's Walk and Talk has been doing just that for a few years now, walking and talking around the Macquarie River, as a way to help improve the overall wellbeing of men in Bathurst.

Initiated and jointly coordinated by Greg Sly, the group focuses on the mental, physical and social health of blokes, providing them with a consistent outlet each week if needed.

And, while the numerous events and fundraisers held in May - mental health awareness month - do a terrific job in shining the spotlight on mental health, consistency and breaking down the stigma is important all-year-round.

"It's men's wellbeing overall ... a healthy body and healthy mind goes hand-in-hand," Mr Sly said.

"A lot of the stuff that gets spoken about on the walk is just banter, like footy, cars, motorbikes, but sometimes guys do need to talk if they're struggling at home or struggling at work.

"I think all blokes carry some baggage at some point in their lives, so it's good that you can go and share some stuff."

Mr Sly said there was a bit of stigma attached when they first started the group in 2019, but numbers have grown and there's lots of members who simply join each week for the social aspect of the walk.

And with such a vast array of knowledge in the group, with members ranging from 20 to 75 years old and from all walks of life, Mr Sly said there's always someone to talk to about anything.

"What we talk about on the walk doesn't get spoken about anywhere else, and we've never had an issue," he said.

The group meets consistently at 5.30pm every Thursday at Berry Lions Park, where they catch up over a coffee - thanks to the generous weekly sponsors - before commencing their walk at 6pm.

Whether it's blowing a gale, raining or a cold winter's evening, members of the group never fail to turn up and it's this consistency Mr Sly said is very important.

"We walk Christmas Day, we walk Holy Thursday, we walk Anzac Day, because you just don't know when someone might need to be there and have a chat," he said.

Any male is invited to turn up and join the group to see what it's all about.

There's no memberships or joining fees, and no one is locked in to come just because they give it a try.

Mr Sly said he would encourage anyone to head on down, bring a mate, and try it at least once.

"I think we're breaking the stigma slowly, and if you can see other guys being vulnerable, chatting, and sharing, then if you can see it you can copy it," he said.

More information can be found on the Bathurst Men's Walk and Talk Facebook page.