Peer network MEN schedules second London event meetup

MEN, a recently formed peer support initiative for men working in the events sector, has confirmed the date for its next London meeting after a strong turnout and positive feedback from its launch gathering earlier this year.

The second in-person session is scheduled for 12 August in Victoria, London. It will continue the network’s format of small, confidential conversations designed to give men in events space to discuss personal and professional pressures away from formal corporate structures.

Background and industry context

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Wellbeing, stress and workforce resilience have become prominent issues across the global events industry, particularly since the pandemic placed additional strain on teams responsible for delivering live, virtual and hybrid experiences under changing conditions. While there are a growing number of groups, training programmes and policies addressing mental health in the sector, organised peer spaces specifically for men remain comparatively limited.

MEN was created to address that gap by providing an informal, non-clinical forum where men employed across agencies, venues, suppliers, production companies, associations and brands can speak openly with peers facing similar challenges. The initiative is positioned as complementary to employer-led wellbeing schemes and professional mental health services, rather than a replacement.

Key developments and next meeting details

The first gathering of the MEN network took place on 13 May in central London. Event professionals from different parts of the ecosystem came together for a closed-door conversation, structured to encourage honest discussion but without formal presentations or a rigid agenda.

Organisers indicated that feedback from that initial meeting highlighted a clear appetite for regular, face-to-face opportunities where participants could talk about topics they might find harder to explore in day-to-day work settings. That response has prompted the decision to schedule a follow-up session in August, again in Victoria, to make the location accessible for attendees commuting from across London and further afield.

The second session will retain core principles from the inaugural meeting:

Participation is open to men working in any part of the events sector, regardless of seniority or company type.
Conversations are confidential, with an emphasis on mutual respect and active listening.
The environment is informal and non-judgmental, avoiding any commercial or networking agenda.
The focus remains on sharing experiences, coping strategies and day-to-day realities of working in events.

Further logistical details, such as specific timings and how to register interest, are being handled directly by the organisers. Numbers are expected to be managed to keep the group at a size conducive to open discussion.

Industry impact and workforce considerations

While community-led peer circles are common in other parts of the creative and tech sectors, initiatives focused specifically on men in events are still emerging. MEN reflects a broader shift in how the industry is approaching people-related issues, with greater attention being paid to psychological safety, burnout prevention and the long-term sustainability of careers in a demanding field.

Event work often involves irregular hours, travel, high client expectations and fixed delivery deadlines, all of which can contribute to stress. For many men, cultural norms may also make it harder to talk candidly about mental health or personal pressures in professional environments. Networks like MEN seek to reduce that barrier by bringing together peers who understand the operational and commercial context of live events but are meeting primarily to talk as individuals, rather than as job titles.

As the events industry continues to rebuild and evolve following the disruption of recent years, retention and skills development are high on the agenda for agencies, venues and service providers. Practical support for wellbeing, including less formal initiatives such as peer support groups, is increasingly being seen as part of an organisation’s broader talent strategy, alongside training, flexible working and DEI programmes.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For event professionals, particularly those in operational, production or leadership roles, the existence of independent peer forums can offer several potential benefits:

Additional support layer: Peer conversations can sit alongside formal employee assistance programmes, providing a different type of outlet that may feel more approachable to some.
Shared experience: Participants can compare approaches to managing stress, workload and work-life balance within an industry that often operates at high intensity.
Cross-sector insight: By drawing attendees from agencies, corporates, freelancers and suppliers, the group can surface common challenges across the ecosystem.

For technology providers serving the events market, the growth of wellbeing-focused networks is also relevant. As organisers and agencies reassess how they run teams and projects, tools that support more sustainable workflows and communication may see increased demand. This can include project management platforms that help balance workloads, virtual collaboration tools that reduce unnecessary travel, and analytics that give managers better visibility into resource planning for hybrid and in-person events.

Vendors seeking to position themselves as partners in long-term industry resilience may find that understanding the workforce realities highlighted in peer discussions — such as pressure points around delivery timelines, client communication and remote collaboration — can inform product design and customer support strategies.

Conclusion

The scheduling of a second MEN gathering in London underlines a growing recognition that men in the events industry are looking for spaces to talk openly about their experiences, beyond traditional professional forums. While still at an early stage, the network’s continuation suggests a sustained need for confidential, peer-led support structures alongside more formal wellbeing initiatives.

As the sector continues to adapt to new business models, hybrid delivery and shifting audience expectations, attention is increasingly turning to how to support the people who design and deliver events. Initiatives such as MEN point to a more holistic view of industry health, in which operational innovation, commercial performance and workforce wellbeing are seen as interconnected priorities.