A Darwen Mental Health talking group is celebrating its success even after it wasn't chosen as a winner at the Community Volunteer Awards.

Members at Talk Ourselves Well, founded by Si Donnelly, 48, still feel like winners even though they didn't win the community involvement award at last week's ceremony, because they know the work they conduct saves lives across the community everyday.

Si said: "Ah well, we didn't win, although it's nice to be recognised for our work within the community as a finalist.

"The real win for us is that whilst we were attending the awards, we still ran a session of the Man Support Collective up at Whitehall Park, big shout to Bri and Dave for ensuring the session went ahead.

"I said to the lads as we were leaving that it's not all about trophies and awards, the real win is knowing that through our work we have saved lives within our community.

"The real win is doing suicide intervention work with people who have attended our sessions.

"The real win is when we don't see them again for time and then they reappear and thank us for being there for them when they needed it most, we can't put a price on that!

"We've always said that happiness comes and goes and the real happiness is in the process and seeing people change.

"In the 15 months we've been running the Man Support Collective, we've also put on to music fundraiser with Yeah That Gig and UNMUTE and also led a World Suicide Prevention Day Walk engaging approx 1,600 people, with face to face interactions, not to mention our online community in the process and shout to any one who supports us in our journey.

"We've accomplished this without funding and through love, support and donations from you beautiful people.

"We Go Again... Every Day."

The group were up against 328 others and are really grateful they were even nominated.

Si said he was glad to see other mental health groups winning at the event.

He said: "I want to give a HUGE shout out to the Shad Chef Man Hub lads, who are breaking down barriers and dispelling myths around men opening up and talking about their life challenges and experiences in their community.

"They won the Grassroots Award and we were genuinely buzzing for them and went over to congratulate them, with Chef Shanks saying "You guys are an inspiration to us".

"That means a great deal to us and real recognises real."

Talk Ourselves Well was created off the back off two of Si’s friends taking their own lives, with nine months between their deaths.

Si said he had had enough and wanted to do something to prevent suicide, he decided to use his voice and created Talk Ourselves Well in 2020 to try and engage people in just talking openly about their experiences and challenges with mental health.

Suicide is the biggest killer of men aged under 40, and the North West has the second highest suicide rate in Great Britain.