Local support in Southport.
Mettle is a private practice, not a crisis service. This page brings together what's available in and around Southport (PR8 & PR9) - crisis lines, NHS and community services across Sefton & Merseyside, men's mental health groups, and free self-help tools you can use today.
All organisations listed are independent of Mettle. Phone numbers and hours are correct at time of publishing but may change - check each organisation's website for the most current information.
In crisis right now
If you need to talk to someone tonight.
These lines are free, confidential, and staffed around the clock. You don't need to be suicidal to call. Struggling, overwhelmed, or just not coping is enough.
Immediate danger - call 999Samaritans
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Free from any phone. No judgment, no agenda - just someone to talk to.
CALM - Campaign Against Living Miserably
Built for men. Daily 5pm-midnight. If you're struggling and need to talk, CALM is there.
Cheshire & Wirral Partnership - Sefton Crisis Line
Urgent NHS mental health crisis support for adults in Sefton and surrounding areas. If you're in crisis right now and local to Southport, this is the line.
24 hours. Free. For adults in the CWP / Sefton area.
NHS 111 - Mental Health Crisis Line
Call 111 and select option 2 to reach the mental health crisis line. Any time of day or night.
Local - Southport, Sefton & Merseyside
What's on your doorstep in PR8 & PR9.
NHS, community services, and peer support in and around Southport - covering Birkdale, Ainsdale, Churchtown, Hillside, Marshside, Crossens and Banks. Waiting lists can be long; Mettle can often act as a bridge while you wait for a funded place.
NHS Talking Therapies - Sefton
Free CBT and counselling for adults in the Sefton area, including Southport PR8 and PR9. Self-referral, no GP needed. Waiting times vary - if the wait is too long, Mettle can act as a bridge.
Also accessible via your GP if you prefer a referral.
Andy's Man Club - Southport
Free, peer-led support for men. Meets Monday evenings (except bank holidays) in Southport. No professionals, no agenda - just men in a room talking through what's on their minds.
Monday evenings, 7pm. Find your nearest group on the website.
Project Sandgrounder - Salvation Army, Southport
Free, by-appointment counselling for adults in Southport facing barriers to access. Run by Chris through Mettle at The Salvation Army on Shakespeare Street - confidential support regardless of circumstances.
Email to request an appointment (subject to availability).
Sefton Mind
Local Mind branch serving Southport, Bootle and the wider Sefton borough. Counselling, wellbeing groups, and community support - a practical first port of call close to home.
The Life Rooms - Southport
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust community hub. Free courses, social-prescribing support, and practical help with the things that affect mental health - money, housing, work, and isolation.
Hub of Hope - Local Search
Postcode-search database for mental health support. Enter a PR8 or PR9 postcode and it surfaces what's actually available nearby - community groups, charities, and NHS services.
Men's mental health
Support that understands men.
National organisations designed for men, or well-suited to the way men tend to reach out. Free. No referral needed. All reachable from Southport, online or by phone.
Hub of Hope
The UK's most comprehensive mental health support database. Enter your postcode and it shows what's available locally - including things your GP may not have told you about.
Mind
National mental health charity. Practical information, local Mind groups, and an online community. Useful if you want to understand what you're experiencing before deciding what to do about it.
Mind Infoline - Mon-Fri 9am to 6pm.
Shout
Text-based support for when talking out loud feels like too much. 24/7, free, confidential.
Domestic abuse
Support for men experiencing abuse.
Domestic abuse affects men too - and it is significantly under-reported because of stigma, disbelief, and not knowing where to go. These organisations exist specifically for that.
ManKind Initiative
National charity supporting male victims of domestic abuse. Trained advisers, confidential helpline. They understand the barriers men face in asking for help - including not being believed.
Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. If you're in immediate danger, call 999.
Men's Advice Line
Specialist helpline for men experiencing domestic abuse, run by Respect. Practical advice and emotional support, free and confidential.
Mon-Fri 9am-8pm.
Things you can use today.
Free printable worksheets and interactive forms on shame, sleep, avoidance and stress. No login, no email required.
Mettle Therapy is a private counselling practice, not a crisis or emergency service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or attend your nearest A&E. Information on this page is provided as signposting only and does not constitute clinical advice. Links to external organisations are provided in good faith; Mettle has no commercial relationship with any organisation listed.