A men’s mental health and football group is branching out in Bolton to help raise awareness around men’s mental health.

After the death of a friend who took his own life, Peter Hill started Place2Place in 2017, playing football once a week while encouraging men to think and talk about things on their mind to others.

Since then, Peter has launched new sessions at Bolton Arena and recently had a massive premier league style match at the home of the Bolton Wanderer’s to let the boys live out their football fantasy for a day.

With three games played on Sunday, the men were able to use the changing rooms and even walking out to the champions league music.

Peter said: “They felt like the Bolton Wanderers players as the club even let us use the sponsor lounge and gave the lads the incredible behind the scenes experience.

“We started as just a five-a-side team and now we have over 70 players.

“I lost three friends from suicide, and I didn’t realise how dependent I was on them and so we try to put a few people in your corner so everyone has someone to talk to that might be going through something.

“Men can talk to each other and keep fit as well and this is a good way to get people socialising who might have been missing that.”

So far, the group have already helped a young Bolton lad who was unemployed but found work with one of the team sponsors.

Peter wants to continue working in Bolton to get more men involved with the sessions every Tuesday.

He said: “They were all David Beckham for the day with mascots and walking out with their kids.

“Throughout the pandemic we couldn’t play and so we missed it, and this was a good way to get the teams back together

“Wigan were not hiring out their pitch, so we only came by Bolton by chance but then we realised a need for a team here.

“Anyone can join in our sessions at Bolton Arena, it’s just something fun to do and focusses on men’s mental health too.”

Peter has been nominated as a baton bearer at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games for his community work and will hold the flame on July 17.