International Men’s Day (IMD) takes place on 19th November and is a global celebration of the positive role that men bring to society, communities and the family. While acknowledging men’s positive contributions and achievements, IMD also shines a light on the challenges men face, especially with mental health and well-being.
International Men’s Day coincides with the month-long Movember, the worldwide campaign to improve men’s physical and mental health.
Why Acknowledge International Men’s Day?
This year, the theme of IMD Men’s Day is “Supporting our Men and Boys”. Many people get involved and invite/support charities and other groups. These activities are a stark reminder of the importance of men’s mental health and the need for safe spaces for open communication in all arenas of life.
By observing IMD, we encourage awareness on the issues men face, while promoting safe spaces for discussion and dialogue.
Here are our top International Men’s Day Speakers for 2025 at Great British Speakers.
Joe Marler
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Joe Marler IMD Speaker Highlights:
International England Rugby Player
Male Mental Health and Wellbeing
Host of the Joe Marler’s Things People Do Podcast
Elite Sportsman
One of the most recognisable faces in international rugby, Joe is a two-time Premiership champion who has 95 caps for the Senior England team.
Joe is the presenter of the Joe Marler’s Things People Do podcast, where, alongside his co-host Joe Fordyce, he meets ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Thanks to its popularity, the podcast has gone out on tour.
Joe is very passionate about mental health and is an advocate and ambassador for CALM. In 2021, he teamed up with Sky Sports to launch Big Boys Don’t Cry, a sensitive documentary which followed Joe as he travelled up and down the UK, learning how other people manage their mental wellbeing.
If we did have such a title as Mr International Men’s Day here at Great British Speakers, then it would be Mark!
Mark is a leader in the fields of male health, inclusion, and domestic abuse, serving as a thought leader, commentator, speechwriter, presenter, spokesperson, and policy and communications adviser.
He was awarded an OBE in 2019 and an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Letters) in 2023. Mark also serves as a national ambassador for International Men’s Day in the UK, raising awareness of the challenges men and boys face in today’s society in the workplace and in their personal lives.
He delivers insightful and inspiring talks on a range of issues affecting men and boys, including supporting male wellbeing at work, being allies of men, men’s health, domestic abuse, suicide prevention, and boys’ education.
Hire Mark Brooks OBE, speaker and thought leader on male health, inclusion, and domestic abuse at the leading Speakers Bureau of Great British Speakers.
Neil Edge
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Neil Edge IMD Speaker Highlights:
Ultra-Endurance Athlete
Mental Performance Speaker
Resilience, Overcoming Adversity, Focus
Personal Experience of Cancer
Neil Edge is an ultra-endurance athlete and mental performance speaker who has conquered immense physical and mental challenges, including a battle with cancer.
His resilience and determination have become the cornerstone of his approach to resilience, performance, and leadership. Drawing on his journey through ultra-endurance sport, elite coaching, and personal adversity, Neil helps leadership teams build the mental resilience needed to thrive under pressure.
A highly sought-after speaker, his keynotes are science-backed, practical, and designed to help leaders prevent burnout, sustain performance, and led through complexity.
Nick Elston is one of the most authentic, high-impact, and inspirational mental health speakers and coaches in the UK. A leading voice on personal development, he shares his own lived experience of mental health challenges and how he turned that adversity into a life of purpose.
Nick’s sessions are known for blending humour, real talk, vulnerability, and powerful takeaways that spark conversations that really matter. Over the years, he has delivered keynotes for education providers, global organisations, and major events.
He is the host of The Nick Elston Show Podcast, where he speaks to storytellers, celebrities, influencers, speakers, leaders, and entrepreneurs who have gone from adversity to excitement, sharing their stories with authenticity, transparency, and vulnerability.
Dr Mark Deeks is an international and TEDx professional speaker, educator, and musician. He is passionate about fostering creativity and harnessing the power of music to improve engagement, mental health, performance, and well-being.
He is able to seamlessly combine his knowledge of music with his passions for creativity and mental health. His enthusiasm for the subject, along with his own personal story, makes him an infectious speaker and host – and he is often accompanied by his piano.
Special Great British Speakers offer! Dr Mark Deeks and Nick Elston run an exclusive men’s mental health workshop. Please call Kelly Hollister on 01753 439289 for further details
Mark Lemon
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Mark Lemon IMD Speaker Highlights:
Children’s Grief Specialist
Mental Health Speaker
Bereavement Ambassador, Winston’s Wish
Speaker/Author
Mark Lemon is an award-winning children’s author, podcaster, grief & mental health speaker and bereavement ambassador for children’s charity, Winston’s Wish.
When Mark was 12 years old, his father was murdered and he has now dedicated his life to helping children, young people and adults struggling to come to terms with their grief and mental health.
The World & Britain’s Strongest Disabled Man (Retained)
Military, Mindset & Mental Health
Overcoming Mental Health/Adversity
In-Person or Virtual Talks
Being a hands-on father to three young children and an aspiring strongman, Dave Walsh’s life was turned upside down overnight. Dave went from climbing mountains in the British Army to being unable to climb the stairs when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Although his journey to find his ‘new normal’ has not been an easy one, he is now a full-time wheelchair user, but also Britain’s Strongest Disabled Man and the World’s Strongest Disabled Man champion.
Dave Walsh demonstrates and promotes the power of positivity to overcome challenges and reach your full potential and dreams, whatever the setback.
Mental Health, Resilience, Adaptability, Men’s Health
High Profile TEDx Speaker
The ‘7 Steps to Happiness’
Dubbed ‘The Mighty Motivator’ by Chris Evans, Rob Hosking is an international TEDx motivational speaker and former front-line Police Officer, renowned for his ability to inspire teams and leaders to adapt in fast-changing, high-pressure environments. With years of experience responding to unpredictable situations, Rob has developed a deep understanding of how individuals and organisations can thrive in the midst of uncertainty. His unique perspective stems from his time on the front lines of policing, where no two situations were the same, and quick thinking, adaptability, and resilience were essential.
Rob’s talks focus on the key principles of managing change and building resilience, helping teams develop the skills needed to remain adaptable, calm, and solution-oriented in the face of challenges. Drawing from real-life, high-stakes incidents, he translates powerful frontline lessons into practical tools that businesses can apply in times of pressure and rapid change.
Overcoming Obstacles to Make the Most of Your Life
For many, experiencing cancer just once is a test of a person’s mindset and personal strength but for Jonathan Acott, he has battled and beaten cancer six times. It wasn’t just his physical health that posed the challenges; his mental health also suffered significantly, coping with depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Despite the significant challenges he faced, Jonathan still managed to climb some of the highest mountains, swim across lakes, and run in marathons and ultra-marathons.
He has learned invaluable lessons along the way about the importance of positivity and taking ownership of one’s situation. Speaking to his audiences, he applies these lessons to motivate and inspire others to get the most out of their lives.
Jonathan is known for his authentic, raw and genuine approach to presenting. Whilst his journey started with cancer, his presentations don’t dwell on this; rather they are uplifting, positive and inspirational, providing motivation to others to overcome their challenges and know they can achieve great things in the face of adversity.
On 22 December 2014, Clarke Carlisle was hit by a lorry on the A64 near York, and subsequently airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary, having suffered cuts, bruises, internal bleeding, and many broken bones.
It has become one of the most widely publicised suicide attempts of recent years, hitting the headlines across the UK.
It didn’t end there; long-running mental health issues caused his first marriage to fail, and a second attempt to take his own life followed in September 2017. He was reported missing, having last been seen earlier that day in Manchester city centre, though thankfully found safe in Liverpool.
And now, along with wife Carrie, Clarke and Carrie Carlisle discuss in a disarmingly open way both Clarke’s own struggles with mental health and talk about how this affects us all and those around us, providing audiences with inspiring and actionable outcomes.
Clarke and Carrie Carlisle have been phenomenally successful at engaging with colleagues in all types or commercial and organisations over the past decade, including many FTSE 100 companies.
At Great British Speakers, we understand that discussing the topic of Men’s Mental Health, especially in the workplace, can be tricky. But along with our professional speakers, we’re are here to guide you every step of the way.
To find out more or to book any of our motivational speakers for International Men’s Day, Movember or simply to raise awareness or support mental health within your organisation, contact us – we are here to help you find the perfect speaker for the occasion.
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