Men Only IOW

08/01/2026

We want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you to our friend and neighbour, Gabby from Island CraftWorks

Gabby is taking on an incredible challenge: 100 press-ups every single day throughout January to raise funds for Men Only IOW and Women Only IOW.

This isn’t just about physical grit (though that alone is bloody impressive!!💪💪). It’s about standing up for people who are struggling, people who feel isolated, and people who need somewhere safe to turn when things feel unbearable.

We receive no council or NHS funding. Support like this genuinely keeps our doors open, keeps our place safe and warm, and our team able to listen when it matters most.

If you’re able to donate or share, you’d be backing real, local, life-saving work.

👉 Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/gabby-ryde-2

Thank you, Gabby. We’re behind you all the way!

— Karl & the Men Only / Women Only team

Iʼm raising money to support Men & Women Only (Isle of Wight) through 100 press ups a day this January.. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.

06/01/2026

Day 6 and already 520 press-ups — that’s serious commitment, grit, and heart.
Thank you for putting your body (and shoulders!) on the line to support Men Only IOW & Women Only IOW. Every press-up helps shine a light on the importance of safe spaces and real support in our community.

If you’d like to support Gabby’s challenge, please use the bank account details on our page

https://www.menonlyiow.co.uk/support

Please pop GABBY100 in the reference so we can track it properly.

We’re cheering you on all the way, Gabby! Keep smashing it 💪

Find out how Men Only IOW can support you, or how you can support our work in the community.

05/01/2026

We're back at work today, Christmas a distant blur. The doors will be open from 9 am to 4 pm, and next door, Women Only will be open from 9 am to 2 pm. We have the cheapest tea and coffee in Ryde, you don't want to miss it.

It's chicken and vegetable stir-fry on the menu today, and I can promise you there is not a mince pie in sight.

Lunch is served at 12:30; it is free or a small donation if you can.

See you soon!

01/01/2026

As we start the New Year, I want to say thank you.

Men Only exists because people like you believe community still matters. Showing up matters. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer is time, warmth, and a place where you don’t have to pretend.

Over the past year, our door has stayed open for people carrying loneliness, grief, anxiety, addiction, and the effort of coping. No fanfare. Just conversations, cups of tea, shared meals, and the relief of not being alone.

My hope for this year is simple: peace where there’s been turmoil, steadier ground where things have felt uncertain, and a community where people belong.

Keeping that going takes more than goodwill. Rent, heating, food, staff hours — the unglamorous stuff that keeps the door open.

That’s why all of the £5 a month supporters matter. It’s a simple, quiet act of goodwill that helps keep Men Only here for whoever needs us next.

Thank you for being part of it. Peace, goodwill, and community — especially for those who need it most.

Https://menonlyiow.co.uk/support

Find out how Men Only IOW can support you, or how you can support our work in the community.

25/12/2025

Thank you doesn’t do justice to the gratitude and love that I’m feeling just now.
To those that came along today and helped me cook and serve and then cleaned up, you are amazing. It was so humbling to be part of a team that worked so hard and together we spent our Christmas Day with individuals and families from our community. We ate together, played games and laughed.

It was wonderful to be together with our little family for a few hours at Rodger & Steve’s place.

Building stronger and more resilient communities, together.

We’ll see you in the New Year.

Karl x

24/12/2025

Thank you to Sarah from Graces Bakery for a massive donation of cakes, bread, pies and sandwiches!

We'll get as much as possible out to our fantastic community tomorrow.

Once again, community in action, and it's terrific.

Merry Christmas!! xx

24/12/2025

Massive thanks to Dean at Band of Brothers IOW and Dan at Waitrose for their generosity and quiet kindness.

Because of this, we can put more food on plates tomorrow for people who need it. That’s community in action, and it’s happening more often than you might think.

Merry Christmas.

23/12/2025

Don't forget we will be here on Christmas Day!

19/12/2025

Our Christmas hours 🎄✨
We’ll be taking a short break over the holidays — please see the dates below for our Christmas and New Year opening times.

We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout the year — your support truly means the world to us.

We wish you and your loved ones a very happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year, and we look forward to seeing you again soon 🤍

09/12/2025

It’s just four days to go until our Christmas Fayre, Yay! And the place is already buzzing. The Women Only team have been baking, making, sorting, and plotting, and the tables are filling with brilliant things made by local hands. It’s our last big push of the year, and every penny raised helps us keep Rodger & Steve’s Place warm, open, and welcoming through the winter.

Pop in, say hello, and pick up something beautiful and unique for Christmas. See you there!

08/12/2025

Men Only IOW and Women Only have reached a critical point.

This will be our last public appeal. Without your help, both services will close on Christmas Day. We need your money to survive, like so many of the people who come through our door need the team at Rodger & Steve's to survive.

We support people every day through some of the toughest moments of their lives, through cold winters and isolation. And after over five years, we still do it on our own, without any central funding, even though NHS teams, GPs, Police, the Jobcentre and local councils regularly refer people to us, and we are proud to support them, but we cannot continue to do so without support

The truth is this: our doors are only open because some of our community choose to keep them open.

As the number of people coming through our doors increases, so do our costs. If you can spare £5 a month, it will help to keep this space alive. We can help with a warm room, a safe place, a form filled out, or a home found. And maybe a conversation that helps someone stay with us.

You may not need us now, but someone you know or love might, and so this is the moment to stand with us.

05/12/2025

💛 Notice to Our Community 💛

Men Only will be closing early today (05.12.25) at 3pm so that our team can attend the memorial of Dena Sullivan, a much-loved and deeply missed member of our community. Today, we take time to honour her memory and hold space for those who loved her.

Thank you for your understanding, and for keeping Dena and her loved ones in your thoughts.

With love and gratitude,
Men Only 💛