The Black Country Blokes

In this episode of The Black Country Blokes, Kev and Lee sit down with Paul Gough, the long-standing director and head coach of Priory Park Boxing Club in Dudley, who has spent 30 years using boxing to change lives.What started as a boxing club on Priory Road has grown into a community hub supporting 300–400 people every week, offering training, mentorship, and opportunities for young people, veterans, emergency services and local families.The club has produced Schoolboy, Golden Gloves and National Youth champions, but Paul’s proudest achievement might be what’s happening outside the ring.Paul also founded Priory Park Community School, an alternative provision for young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties, or those at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream education.Located in the Wren’s Nest area of Dudley, the school offers something unique — combining education with mentoring through sport, boxing, and outdoor learning.Students benefit from:🥊 Mentoring through Priory Park Boxing Club🌿 Outdoor education in Wren’s Nest Nature Reserve — one of Britain’s most important geological sites🎓 Qualifications including ABA Awards, ASDAN, BTEC and GCSEs💬 Confidence building, resilience training and life skillsThe aim is simple but powerful:Give young people structure, belief and opportunity — and help them return to education, work, apprenticeships or training.This episode explores:Paul’s 30-year journey running Priory Park Boxing ClubWhy boxing gyms often become lifelines for communitiesThe reality of working with young people at risk of exclusionHow sport can rebuild confidence and disciplineThe mission to reduce permanent exclusions in DudleyPriory Park isn’t just building fighters —it’s building futures.📍 Priory Park Boxing ClubPriory Road, Dudley, West MidlandsDY1 4EU#BlackCountryBlokes#PaulGough#PrioryParkBoxingClub#Dudley#AlternativeEducation#BoxingChangesLives#MensMentalHealth#CommunityMatters

In this episode of The Black Country Blokes, Kev and Lee are joined by long-time friend DR Emily Barney from Spartannn Brain Gym– back in the very room where she now runs her mental fitness sessions.Together, they dive into a big question:Is the message “men just need to talk” actually helping – or does it oversimplify a much bigger problem?They get properly stuck into:Why saying “he should’ve talked” can sound a lot like blaming the bloke who’s diedHow men do ask for help – and how often nobody really listensThe reality of trying to get support when services are underfunded and impossible to accessPhones, doomscrolling, dopamine and whether we’re all addicted to constant stimulationThe pressure to provide, being a dad, and that “messy middle” of life where everyone wants a piece of youEmily’s idea of “mental fitness” – training your brain like a muscle with “mental press-ups”, gratitude reps and tiny daily winsWhy our brains are “Velcro for negatives, Teflon for positives” – and what you can actually do about itThey also talk about taking this work into prisons, rowing challenges to represent the number of men lost to suicide, and why treating people as humans not statistics might just be the start of real change.If you’ve ever felt like you should be grateful but your head says otherwise, or you’re sick of being told to “man up” and “just talk”, this one’s for you.👉 If you want to connect with Emily, look up Spartannn Brain Gym / Spartannn mental fitness training online. 👉 Follow, share and tag us to keep the conversation going: #MensMentalHealth #BlackCountryBlokes #MentalFitness #DadsSupportingDads

In this powerful and funny episode of The Black Country Blokes, Kev and Lee sit down with their long-time mate Adrian (“Aid”), who’s gearing up to run the New York Marathon to raise money for The Black Country Blokes C.I.C. and support men’s mental health.What starts as a catch-up between three dads turns into an honest chat about fatherhood, guilt, burnout, running as therapy, and the fine line between bravery and breakdown. Aid shares how discipline beats motivation, why bad runs can be as valuable as good ones, and the moment he got so fed up he even told a rainbow to f*** off — then kept going.👉 Support Aid’s run: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/adrian-cutler?utm_medium=CR&utm_source=CL 👉 Share the episode and tag us: #MensMentalHealth #BlackCountryBlokes #DadsSupportingDads #MarathonForHope #HoldOnToHope

In this episode of The Black Country Blokes, we sit down with rising talent Hamza Uddin ahead of his much-anticipated return to the ring this October.Hamza opens up about:🥊 His mindset going into camp🔥 Lessons learned from early career highs and challenges🎯 The pressure of expectations and staying grounded💬 What fans can expect when he steps through the ropes nextThis is a focused, honest, and driven young fighter with something to prove — and he’s ready to do just that.#HamzaUddin #BoxingPodcast #BlackCountryBlokes #MatchroomBoxing #FightWeek #OctoberFight #BehindTheScenes #MensMentalHealth

In this heartfelt episode, Kev Dillon and Lee Cadman look back on six incredible years of The Black Country Blokes podcast — a journey that started with a mobile phone in a classroom and has grown into a multi-award-winning platform changing lives across the UK.They discuss:Receiving new National Lottery Community Fund backing for their Blokes United mental health projectThe evolution of the podcast from grassroots to national impactWorking with inspiring guests — from amateur coaches to professional fighters and everyday heroesHeartwarming stories, like the listener who helped save a life after hearing an episodeWhy the mission remains the same: real conversations that save livesThis episode is a love letter to the community — a celebration of resilience, brotherhood, and staying true to your moral compass. Whether you're a first-time listener or a long-time supporter, this one’s for you.🎙️ Thank you for six years. Here’s to many more.#BlackCountryBlokes #MentalHealthMatters #MensMentalHealth #GrassrootsSupport #Gratitude #CommunityMatters #BlokesUnited #AuthenticVoices #NationalLottery @TNLComFund

In this heartfelt episode, we’re joined by Jack Vaughan, a passionate advocate and former team member of More Mascots Please C.I.C. Jack shares his moving story about his younger brother Louie, who lives with both autism and ADHD, and how those experiences inspired his journey into community work and inclusion.We discuss:What it’s like growing up with a sibling who is neurodivergentThe realities of autism and ADHD — beyond the labelsHow Jack’s community involvement helped shape local supportThe importance of empathy, patience, and understandingThis episode is a powerful reminder that behind every diagnosis is a family, and behind every challenge is a story of strength.🎙️ Tune in and be part of the conversation that truly matters.Real talk. Real life. Real people.