Joshua Sturgeon has spent much of his adult life wrestling with depression.
The 27-year-old told LeedsLive that he "suffered alone for about seven years" before opening up to one of his closest friends, Jack Bentley.
Just as Joshua was on the road to recovery, Jack took his own life.
"It came as such a shock," says Joshua.
"Jack was one of my best mates. We were incredibly close.
"He was one of the happiest people I've ever met in my life. He would have been the last person I would have thought to suffer from depression.
"It was one of the worst experiences of my life."
Jack, also 27, was part of a loving family and had a close group of friends in Gildersome and the surrounding areas.
His death rocked everybody close to him, not least Joshua, who struggled to come to terms with his loss.
However, his tragic death prompted Joshua to take a stand and help the countless other men in the area who were battling similar issues.
A month after Jack's death, Joshua established Men In Need Together (MINT) - a mental health support group that provides a safe and welcoming place for men to open up about how they feel.
'Morley is quite an old-school town. We're supposed to just 'man up', but I wanted to change that'
"It kind of happened out of an incredibly sad story," says Joshua.
"I had suffered a lot in the past from depression and Jack was always there. He helped me a lot.
"I've actually had three friends who have taken their lives in Morley.
"We are quite an old-school town. We are supposed to just 'man up', but I wanted to change that."
The first ever MINT session was held in October 2018. Since then, it has grown to encompass five separate weekly sessions that support more than 50 blokes every single week.
It's the first mental health support group in Morley solely dedicated to giving men a chance to speak to those experiencing similar feelings.
"Peer-to-peer support is the way forward," says Joshua.
"We always say the first step is the hardest thing, but we all go around the group so by the time it gets to the new person they can see what everyone else is going through."
Joshua has shown incredible dedication in making MINT as accessible as possible.
He even gave up his job as a business development manager to put his entire focus into the group, which has grand plans to expand even further.
Joshua says: "Through the week I work on MINT and then I work night shifts at the weekend to pay the bills.
"There used to be nothing in Morley and there were only about four or five of us at the first few sessions.
"Now there are five groups up and down the country, as far south as Bournemouth and all the way up in Scotland.
"We have about 25 guys coming to the Morley group every week.
"To think if it wasn't here, there would be 25 guys in Morley really struggling all alone. it makes it all worthwhile.
"We are looking at expanding into places outwards from Leeds. Wakefield might be next.
"We have also got a group opening in Headingley which we are quite excited about because we think there is a big opportunity to help students in Leeds."
For more information or to find out about your closest group, visit the MINT website.
