MHF operations increased dramatically during 2003

In his third end of year message to staff, trustees and other stakeholders, the Forum's director Peter Baker has pointed out how the MHF's 'scale of operations has again increased dramatically'.

Over 1,000 local events for Men's Health Week in June and over 40,000 queries on the theme, sexual health, were answered. Four new trustees were recruited and eight new patrons. Existing projects were developed and new ones created. The executive committee was replaced with a series of advisory boards ensuring more effectively targeted input from stakeholders. The MHF's newsletter was improved and reborn. 

'Without doubt, we end 2003 in very sound shape indeed,' Peter concludes.

The full end of year message appears below.

'I am beginning to sound like the Queen — this is the third Christmas message I have had the pleasure of sending to the Forum's various stakeholders. Last year, I was able to report on another year of sustained progress. 2003 has been no different, except that the scale of our operations has again increased dramatically.

 The second National Men's Health Week, held in June, was a resounding success. About 1,000 local events took place around the country and the level of media interest was very high (with over 270 articles recorded in the local press alone). A partnership with Ladbrokes enabled us to get sexual health information directly into the hands of 40,000 punters and the level of enquiries to listed organizations demonstrated that this information was read and used.

 The MHF played a leading role in the Gender and Health Summit, held at the King's Fund in November. This was a seminal event which will drive a new campaign for gender mainstreaming in health policy and practice.

 Our new quarterly magazine, MHF, was also launched in November. We were delighted to be able to include an interview with David Hinchliffe, chair of the Health Select Committee, in which he proclaimed his interest in men's health (as well as in beer and rugby league!).

Our website, www.malehealth.co.uk, was highly commended by the BMA — and that was before its relaunch in up-to-date and more user-friendly livery. Work on a similar relaunch for this site is now well underway and on schedule for February 2004.

 Much of the work for the first stage of the men and chlamydia project has now been completed. Groups of students and soldiers have been interviewed about their beliefs and behaviour — this will be written-up as a freestanding report and also be used to inform health promotion interventions to be tested on men in workplaces in Telford next year. The project is on course for completion in early 2005.

The All Party Group on Men's Health has continued with a series of important meetings, including on sexual health and hypertension. A meeting with public health minister Melanie Johnson has been secured for mid-January 2004 — this will be the first opportunity to assess her approach to men's health.

Considerable work has gone into organizational development. All the stakeholders participated actively in developing our first Strategic Plan. The Executive Committee has been replaced with new advisory groups. The Trustee Board has recruited four new members. And the MHF now has a very impressive list of patrons, including Sir David Carter, Dr Mark Porter, Dr Chris Steele, Professor Alan Riley, Professor Roger Kirby, Professor Siân Griffiths, Professor Gordon McVie and Lynn Faulds Wood. Without doubt, we end 2003 in very sound shape indeed.

Needless to say, none of this would have been possible without the support and commitment of everyone involved with the Forum, not least the staff who continue to work well beyond the call of duty.'