Charity aims to raise a pint and men's health awareness

A Guernsey charity is aiming to raise awareness of male cancers and general wellbeing by asking islanders to buy a reusable plastic pint glass to use in the pub.

Male Uprising Guernsey (MUG) is hoping the reusable cups, which will be on sale in the Cock And Bull pub, will help start conversations.

The charity has unofficially linked its campaign to the start of the Six Nations rugby union championship, which got under way on Thursday.

Council member of MUG, Mike Richards, said: "We like to get men talking about, not rugby, but it's a good format to do it."

Richards said: "The pub is a relaxed environment, we come and talk about sport, we come and talk about work, we probably come and talk about family.

"We've got these colourful pint glasses and people might think, what's that person drinking out of? Why are they doing it? And it raises awareness as it starts a conversation."

He added: "If you take that plastic cup home with you it might start a conversation with your children, or the next generation, as to what's MUG and why are they doing it."

Carl Johnson, Richards' friend, thought the setting of a pub during a rugby game could be beneficial to starting conversations about men's health.

"Sporting events are the times when men are probably the most relaxed and most likely to kind of talk to each other about different things."

The reuseable glasses are available to buy in The Cock And Bull for £5, with the sale of every cup going directly toward supporting those affected by male cancers in Guernsey.

Marvin Odillard, owner of the Cornerstone Group of restaurants and cafes, which runs the Cock and Bull, is expecting to "sell around 600 pints per day" when the rugby games are being shown in the pub.

"We try to help as much as we can in our way and I'm very pleased to be able to help MUG. We hear all sorts of things from home, children, hobbies, and sometimes a bit more on health issues."

Richards said MUG aimed to "fill the gaps" in Guernsey's health provision and had previously funded a cancer nurse.

"We're on a great island with great healthcare but there are still gaps in that industry and I think the charities in the island, the health-focused charities are very good at trying to fill those gaps."

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