How pizza, kayaking and conversation are helping Torbay men reconnect

A Torbay-based community interest company supporting men’s wellbeing is inviting residents to help design new ways for men to connect, build resilience and access support across the area.

Resilient Lives CIC, established during the Covid-19 pandemic, is hosting a Torbay Men’s Wellbeing Design Day on January 31, bringing together local residents, community groups and partner organisations. 

Although designed for men, the event is open to all. 

The event, from 10am to 4pm at Parkfield House in Paignton, aims to explore gaps in existing provision and develop new opportunities for men to engage with their wellbeing.

Input from participants will help the organisation design and develop its programmes over the coming year, while the connections formed during the event will strengthen ongoing support networks.

Each session will be standalone, allowing men from diverse backgrounds to participate without committing to long-term programmes. 

Activities are expected to include guided walks, kayaking, whittling and discussion groups, co-designed with participants to meet their interests and needs.

The organisation is also exploring options for a new kitchen to support its growing food-based programmes and social enterprise work.

Resilient Lives was founded in July 2020 by Simon Dyer, who also serves as the organisation’s programme lead.

 Its mission is to create peer-led, inclusive spaces where men can explore their wellbeing, develop relationships and support one another, without the pressure of formal therapy.

Central to this approach is Dough Bro’s, an innovative programme that uses pizza-making as a tool to bring men together.

Sessions combine hands-on activity with peer-led conversation, offering a relaxed environment where men are encouraged to share their feelings, be authentic and experience the benefits of connection.

Alongside this, the organisation runs Pizza Pirates, a social enterprise pop-up pizza business. Profits from Pizza Pirates are reinvested into Resilient Lives’ community work, while also providing local employment and opportunities for informal social interaction. 

ABOVE: Matt, Pizza Pirates manager on shift

The initiative has become both a funding mechanism and a soft entry point for men to access support.

Silver Levy-So, the organisation’s media and community engagement coordinator, embodies the cycle of men supporting men that Resilient Lives promotes.

He first came across the organisation as a customer at a Pizza Pirates pop-up, enjoying the pizzas while learning about the work being done to support local men.

Over time, he noticed information about the organisation’s ethos and the fact that profits were reinvested to support community programmes.

“Eventually, I found the courage to attend a Dough Bro’s session,” he said. “When I first went, I was really anxious. There were a lot of men sitting around, and it can feel daunting if it’s something you’re not used to.”

At the time, Silver described himself as being at rock bottom.

He was not working, struggling with everyday tasks, and experiencing low mood and anxiety. 

He had also been waiting five years for NHS mental health support before seeing a psychiatrist.

“In that period, the support I got through Dough Bro’s was a lifesaver,” he said. “I honestly don’t think I could have kept going without it.”

Over the course of a year or two, Silver progressed through the support system. 

He moved from participant to co-facilitator and eventually became a paid member of staff, helping to run sessions and engage other men. 

He said his role was shaped around the work he wanted to do, allowing him to contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s growth.

“It almost feels like this job was made for me,” he said. “It’s a full-circle moment.”

He said the organisation demonstrates the power of men supporting each other through shared experience. 

“People come for the activity and stay for the connection,  but you don’t realise that until you start,” he said.

“The beauty and power of men supporting other men is something else. Far more than what prescribers, NHS or doctors can give you.”

Resilient Lives are working with local partners, including Momentum, which supports men with lived experience of childhood sexual abuse, and What's Your Problem, who head the Standing Tall Partnership which supports people in Torbay who have experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence. 

ABOVE: One of the group's long-standing participants making pizza

Together, they aim to create an accessible pathway of support across Torbay, particularly for men who may not engage with mainstream mental health services.

The organisation emphasises that it is a support network rather than a clinical service. 

Its approach is deliberately inclusive and low-pressure, encouraging men to participate regardless of background, skills or experience.

“We support men where they want to go and how they’re feeling at that moment,” Silver said.

“That support enables us to go higher in what we want to do for the community. No matter your background, you’re valued and can always bring something to the circle.”

The Torbay Men’s Wellbeing Design Day will provide participants with the opportunity to volunteer as facilitators or supporters for ongoing programmes, helping to shape the emerging Torbay Men’s Wellbeing Pathway.

The event also aims to capture ideas for new approaches to engagement and to co-design activities and spaces that are relevant and accessible to men of all ages.

The event is free and can be booked by emailing hello@resilientlives.org.uk