A LEADING male mentorship charity in Oxford has suspended all face-to-face activities and instead is using online meeting platforms like Zoom to continue helping young men.

A Band of Brothers focuses on helping disaffected young men – many of whom have suffered extreme trauma, addiction, homelessness and imprisonment – to feel better about themselves and find their place in the community.

Normally, it organises weekend experience for participants and pairs them with an older mentor, who is available to them for the next 12 weeks.

However, due to the coronavirus crisis all in-person activities were suspended including mentor and leadership training, and in April all staff at the charity's head office were put on furlough.

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In Oxford ABOB members meet online once a week.

On the third Thursday of every month they open those virtual meetings to men who are interested in learning more about the support available from the charity or who want to train to be mentors.

They also host a daily online meeting at noon so men who want to connect with others can join to share their thoughts.

On Sunday mornings there is a national online call where members are given 'a safe space' to discuss a particular theme or issue.

While some of the young men who get support from the charity are referred to them by their friends or families, any Oxfordshire residents who are interested in ABOB's work can email the local conductor Berny Auton on oxford@abandofbrothers.org.uk.