AN aerospace worker is encouraging men to access anger management coaching after it helped turn his life around.

Lee Blacklidge from Darwen has overcome his feelings of anger since the first lockdown with the help of Shine Coaching.

He is now urging more men to come forward and recognise when they should get help.

The company was established by Fiona Reading and Leanne Campbell six years ago, who saw the need for a men’s service to help people with anger and conflict arising in public.

Ms Reading said: “We have seen first-hand the devastating consequences anger can have on people’s lives and wanted to make a difference.”

Mr Blacklidge was going through a tough time in his life. He said: “It was feedback from friends and family because they said they didn’t know which person they would get that day and I did not want to get like that and upset them.

“I come from a generation where you do not talk about things like your feelings and it takes courage.

“I have had anger issues for my whole life, but I did not think it was a problem, so I just went with it. As I got older, I realised I couldn’t carry on like that and get defensive when people told me I was angry all the time.”

Shine Coaching listened to what was happening in his life and gave him the advice and mentoring to change.

He said: “Especially in lockdown because I could not see my friends at the pub or go to football games. I had enough and did not want to be that person anymore.

“It was silly things like people not cleaning up after themselves and I would start shouting and swearing.”

Mr Lee found Shine Coaching in April 2020 and first completed eight sessions of anger management coaching before going back a second time. The sessions work on why people felt angry, setting goals week by week to change reactions.

To find out more go to shine-coaching.com