Sunderland's Fans' Museum stands up for International Men's Health Day

Sunderland Fan's Museum is a inner when it coms to men's health.

The museum's volunteers took part in an event at City Hall to mark International Men's Health Day yesterday, Monday, November 20.

Other organisations involved Sunderland and Washington Mind, Unison and Nexus.

Museum founder Michael Ganley said the international theme was reflected in the event, with shirts from around 20 countries on display.

Football was a way to bring people - particularly men - together and help them to express themselves, as the recent death of Sir Bobby Charlton had demonstrated: "We have seen it, we all appreciate it , all the football teams come together when there is a passing," he said.

"Football is a dynamic that can bring people together and eliminate a lot of these issues.

"You can have a little bit banter with someone else from another club and you can relate - people tend to open up."

Unison rep Howard Fawcett said education around health and well-being was a major part of the union's role.

"We have a learning arm - I am a learning rep," he said.

"We look at different themes, different campaigns throughout the year and this one is around trying to minimise or eliminate male suicide which is the main killer of men under 50."