---
title: "Andy's Man Club founders win Pride of Britain award"
canonical: https://smallgoodthings.org/stories/andys-man-club-founders-pride-of-britain-2026/
sourceName: "Pride of Britain Awards"
sourceUrl: "https://prideofbritain.com/award-winner/2026-winners/elaine-roberts-and-luke-ambler/"
datePublished: 2026-10-29T00:00:00.000Z
dateModified: 2026-10-29T00:00:00.000Z
---

# Andy's Man Club founders win Pride of Britain award

Elaine Roberts and Luke Ambler received a Special Recognition award at the 2026 Pride of Britain Awards. They set up Andy's Man Club after Elaine's son Andrew died by suicide in 2016. It began with nine men in Halifax and now runs more than 360 free peer-support groups, with about 7,000 men attending on Monday nights.

## What happened?

Elaine Roberts, 71, and her son-in-law Luke Ambler, 36, received a Special Recognition award at the 2026 Pride of Britain Awards.

In 2016, Elaine's son Andrew died by suicide. He was 23. Luke, a former professional rugby player, was married to Andrew's sister. Together, Elaine and Luke set up Andy's Man Club, a charity that works to prevent suicide among men.

## How does the club work?

The club began with one group of nine men in Halifax. It now runs more than 360 groups across England, Scotland and Wales, as well as online sessions.

About 7,000 men attend every Monday night. The sessions are free and confidential, and volunteers lead them. Men can walk in without registering or being referred.

Oliver Vikse was one of the first nine men to attend. He now works for the charity. "It was so refreshing to sit and be heard," he said.

## What else did they do?

Luke started the #ItsOkayToTalk campaign. The charity says it has reached more than 100 million people around the world.

## Why does it matter?

The founders want to spare other families what theirs went through. "It's about helping as many men as possible, one person at a time," Elaine said.

"The goal has always been to stop other families going through what ours went through," Luke said.

## Where to get support

If you are struggling, you can call Samaritans free on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland, at any time. In an emergency, call 999.

Other 2026 Pride of Britain finalists also raised money for suicide prevention, including [Kit Birks](/stories/kit-birks-europe-walk-pride-of-britain-2026/) and [Michael McWilliams](/stories/michael-mcwilliams-football-boots-pride-of-britain-2026/). [See every 2026 winner and regional finalist](/explainers/pride-of-britain-2026-winners/).

## Reporting notes

We checked the Pride of Britain winner page and Yahoo News UK's list of 2026 winners, published on 19 October 2026. Group and attendance figures come from the charity via Pride of Britain. The reach of the #ItsOkayToTalk campaign is the charity's estimate. We follow Samaritans' guidance for reporting on suicide.

## Sources

- [Pride of Britain Awards · Elaine Roberts and Luke Ambler](https://prideofbritain.com/award-winner/2026-winners/elaine-roberts-and-luke-ambler/): Official winner profile covering the founding, size and format of Andy's Man Club.
- [Yahoo News UK · 19 October 2026](https://uk.news.yahoo.com/meet-incredible-pride-britain-award-200606655.html): Full list of 2026 winners. Confirms the year of Andrew's death and current group numbers.

## Common questions

### How does Andy's Man Club work?

Men can walk in to a free, confidential peer-support session on Monday nights. No registration or referral is needed, and volunteers lead the groups. There are groups across England, Scotland and Wales, plus online sessions.

### Where can I get help if I am struggling now?

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans answers calls free on 116 123, day or night. In an emergency, call 999.

Primary source: [Pride of Britain Awards](https://prideofbritain.com/award-winner/2026-winners/elaine-roberts-and-luke-ambler/)