PRESIDENT
Lord Michael Cashman CBE is an actor, writer, politician, charity founder and lifetime advocate for LGBT+ rights. He has an honorary doctorate from York and Staffordshire Universities, and has acted in Eastenders, Dr Who and in plays such as "Bent".
Lord Cashman is a founding member of the internationally renowned charity Stonewall, and has also established a charity in the name of his late husband Paul Cottingham (The Paul Cottingham Trust).
President: Lord Michael Cashman CBE
As a politician, Lord Cashman served as a member of the European Parliament for 15 years, and has been a peer in the House of Lords since 2014. During this time, Lord Cashman has been a global envoy for LGBT+ rights, and continues to champion them in all of his work.
Lord Cashman joins Men Who Talk as our President, proudly representing the organisation as a non-executive member of the team. Through his own experiences of depression and grief, specifically since the loss of his husband,
Lord Cashman has candidly spoken of his own journey through mental health, in doing so further helping to normalise the everyday conversations we should all have about mental health and wellbeing.
Lord Cashman is a passionate advocate for mental health and wellbeing, and strongly believes in the power of creating spaces for men in particular to feel safe to talk. On joining the organisation, Lord Cashman says: "I am proud to join the team at Men Who Talk as their President, and look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead. We all have everything to gain from encouraging open, and honest, debates about how we cope with life and the slings and arrows that it sometimes throws at us!
In fact, to talk openly is to encourage others and in so doing, we can make the world a much better and easier place for us all."
We warmly welcome Lord Cashman, and thank him for his unwavering support!
TRUSTEE BOARD
Chair of Trustees: Peter Lipman
Peter has extensive governance, managerial and leadership experience.
Peter had a successful career in education and general management, including five senior directorships and being an acting chief executive in councils; a county deputy director of education; a principal school and college inspector. He then decided to concentrate on a portfolio career as a management consultant and to develop a career in music and the voluntary sector. He was the vice chair of the largest housing association in Hertfordshire, an interim director in two councils and a trustee, and chair and vice chair, of two charities.
Peter holds a LLB Honours degree in law and three master’s degrees from Warwick (education management), Brunel (social policy and law) and the Open University (music). He is a fellow of Victoria College of Music.
Peter passionately believes in the need for men to be able to talk in a safe and supportive environment, having been a member of such a group himself.
Vice Chair: Harry Small (He/Him)
Harry is a lawyer with a long history as a partner in one of the world’s major law firms and one of the country’s foremost information technology lawyers. Harry led his Firm’s London and global technology law groups, giving him in-depth experience of people and general management.
Harry has also dedicated a substantial amount of his time to promoting diversity and inclusion, particularly LGBT+ inclusion. For this he is a holder of Stonewall’s Senior Champion of the Year award.
Harry strongly believes that all men need safe spaces to work out their feelings, worries, stresses and concerns free from the stereotypical assertive masculinity that traditional culture imposes on them.
Treasurer: John Parkin
John lives in Cambridgeshire with his family. He is a Senior Lecturer Practitioner in Education and Course Leader for a two-year Primary Education Studies BA degree. His research interests include supporting more men to become primary teachers and the influence of technology on learning and wellbeing.
Before working in a university, John was a primary teacher and assistant headteacher. John is excited to be a trustee for “Men Who Talk” as he firmly believes that more needs to be done to support the wellbeing of men and the organisation offers an excellent way of doing this.
Trustee: Mo Doucoure
Mo Doucoure is a dedicated legal professional who thrives in collaborative environments that embrace diverse perspectives and personal growth.
With a background in commercial law, Mo has honed his problem-solving and relationship-building skills. As a strong advocate for social impact and youth empowerment, Mo has actively participated in various non-profit roles.
His experiences include being a supportive Senior Mentor for the National Citizenship Service, a proactive Treasurer for Warwick Debating Society, and an inspiring Sub-Group Leader for Got Politics? Fluent in English and French, Mo brings a genuine commitment and enthusiasm to every role, and he is passionate about using his skills and experiences to create a positive impact on the lives of others.
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
Founder & Director: Samuel Davies (he/him) (BSc, MSc, MBPsS).
Samuel founded the charity "Men Who Talk" in January 2022.
Graduating with a BSc in Psychology from Birkbeck College, University of London and an MSc in Global Mental Health from Kings College London & The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Samuel has worked in various mental health settings in the UK, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.
Having worked for organisations such as The Loss Foundation, the Mental Health Foundation, Mind and in various SEN schools, Sam is passionate about promoting mental health and wellbeing.
VOLUNTEERS
Mathew Saisi
Matt is a 30 year old based in London and currently works as a technology lawyer in the city. He is passionate about mentorship, innovation and volunteering.
He believes that the charity "Men Who Talk “…..is a space that we really need today. There’s hardly any judgement free zones that we can come together as guys and share ideas, opinions and advice.”
Brad Hallett (he/him)
Born and raised in Cornwall, Brad graduated with a BSc in Psychology back in 2019. Since then, he has been working as an SLTTA in a SEND school and as a support worker for adults with learning disabilities.
A lover of the great outdoors - whether it’s hiking up mountains or cycling through woodland - he enjoys nothing more than exploring new places with those closest to him.
Brad believes that “men need more open spaces where they can feel safe and comfortable to talk about what’s going on in their own mind. It’s easy for guys to internalise the toxic masculine norms that they should bury their emotions and ‘man up’; Men Who Talk creates a space that defies those expectations”