A Cornwall mental health charity has warned that the closure of several day centres across the county risks leaving vulnerable people without vital face-to-face support.
Man Down CIC issued the warning following the shutdown of centres in Cornwall in Camborne, Truro, Falmouth, Penzance, St Austell and Bude as part of a wider transformation of services.
While alternative provision has been outlined, the organisation says not all support is equally accessible, particularly for those in immediate need.
Ross Jackson-Hicks, founding director of Man Down CIC, said: “For many men, walking into a room and sitting with others who understand is the first step toward recovery. You cannot replicate that with a leaflet, a referral, or a distant service. Human connection saves lives.”
The Cornwall-based charity, which provides free, peer-led support groups for men, says its model works by removing barriers such as referrals and waiting lists, allowing people to access help at their own pace.
It warns that men are less likely to seek help early and are disproportionately affected by suicide, meaning the loss of familiar, community-based spaces could push support further out of reach.
Mr Jackson-Hicks added that transitions in service provision can also create gaps, increasing the risk of isolation.
“When services disappear, even temporarily, people fall through the cracks and too often, those cracks are where we lose lives,” he said.
Man Down CIC is calling for greater recognition and investment in grassroots, peer-led support networks to complement clinical services rather than replace them.
The organisation says local, in-person provision remains essential for building trust, encouraging early intervention and preventing crisis.
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Mr Jackson-Hicks said: “We all want a system that works better. But change must not come at the cost of connection. Because for many people, that connection is the difference between coping and crisis.”
Man Down CIC continues to run free weekly support groups across Cornwall and beyond for men aged 18 and over, with no referral required. The charity is encouraging anyone struggling, or concerned about someone else, to seek help as early as possible.
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