Tom Boyd will be ambassador for the Sons of the West program with a strong mental health focus

Premiership star and mental health advocate Tom Boyd hopes to inspire men to open up about their mental well being.

Western Bulldogs premiership hero Tom Boyd will lead a reinvigorated health program for men in Melbourne’s west, with a focus on mental well being.

Boyd has joined the Sons of the West program, hosted by the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, which will host workshops across the western suburbs over the next 10 weeks.

The program launches at Watergardens Shopping Centre on Saturday and will hold sessions in Sebastopol, St Albans, Newport, Laverton, West Footscray, Maribyrnong, Cobblebank, Fraser Rise, Sunbury and Werribee.

Since his retirement in 2019, Boyd, who was taken as the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft, has been a strong mental health advocate, citing his own experiences battling anxiety and depression.

“One of the things I’ve always struggled with, since finishing footy, is trying to find that home base,” he said.

“I’ve done that through some of my business exploits, but still want to find that affinity with a group of people that one, are on the same wavelength; two, share a common passion for the Bulldogs; and three, are in a place that I actually believe are making a difference.

“Everyone who turns up to Sons of the West is there for the right reasons — they either want to get healthier and happier themselves, or want to help someone close to them. For me, to be able to connect with the people of the western suburbs, which I have such a strong history with, is a fantastic part of the program.

“To be continually able to spread messages surrounding positive mental health, and looking after yourself and the people around you is something I’ve always enjoyed, so now I just get to do that in a different format with the people that I care about.”

This will be the first time in three years the program will be held face-to-face.

Since its launch in 2014, the program has attracted thousands of men from Melbourne’s western suburbs, with about 700 expected this year.

Bulldogs Community Foundation general manager Kashif Bouns said many men who have attended these sessions had gone on to form “strong friendships”, including one cohort which started its own walking group.

“Men have this habit of not going to the GP or going to the doctors, or discussing their health, especially their mental health,” Boyd said.

“When we heard about these stats in our community, we wanted to know what is it that we can do to help.

“We wanted to see how we can use the power of our badge, our players and our brand to promote having these conversations.

“The whole idea is to provide a non threatening, non judgmentally, non judgmental and welcoming environment. People come here because it’s not a health organisation, it’s not government related, it’s a football club.”