'Why I've set up a chess club to help men'

It is a Wednesday evening and a man is standing nervously as he prepares to open the shutters on his new venture, admitting "I'm not sure if anyone will come".

Connor Brookes is at a Barnsley cafe to launch Check Mates - a "community initiative" to encourage men to talk about their mental health as they enjoy a game of chess.

One hour later, every table in Billy's Coffee Bar is full, with men facing each other separated by just chess boards and drinks.

For Brookes, who has worked for more than a decade as a support worker in adult social care, the project has a personal connection.

"Chess is in my DNA," he says.

"My grandad taught me, he used to tell me about pit workers walking from Barnsley to Penistone for games."

The 30-year-old has been known to take his own chess board into Barnsley town centre and invite strangers to come and play.

"It's usually me and some old fellas. It's authentic and the thing about chess that's great, you don't have to plug it in," he says.

Chess has also been a way for Brookes to communicate with his older brother Blair, currently serving time in prison.

"He plays chess electronically on a computer. Sometimes when he phones I don't know what to say to him, but we can talk about chess and his moves."

At the coffee shop, the conversation is flowing.

Sometimes the room falls into a silent lull with players in deep concentration.

The only sound, a slurp of latte and chairs scraping against the floor.

Leo Hague, 20, and Joe Myers, 26, got lucky. Most of the chess boards here are flimsy wooden ones but their board is marble, the pieces smooth and weighty.

This is the scene that Brookes envisioned. Two men, strangers 10 minutes ago, connecting.

"It's not just about talking to somebody, it's about somebody asking the right questions," says Hague.

"If you're just asking surface questions all you're gonna get is surface answers but if you ask deeper questions you're gonna get to know that person, gonna get to know what they're struggling with."

Myers has his own personal reasons for wanting to come down.

He is currently seven months sober and the "happiest" he has been for a while.

"I know first hand it's really difficult to talk. I've had depression and I've been suicidal before and I've had a drink problem," he says.

"I couldn't talk about it. I had it all bottled up inside. It was my wife that helped me so much.

"If I can talk to other lads here I will for sure."

Brookes is keen to stress where he sees Check Mates fitting in among the suite of mental health support.

"This is a club, we're not professionals, we're not clinical. I'm here to be an advocate and sign post if I need to," he says.

This is the reason he was keen to invite Grant Fieldsand from Barnsley Samaritans to the night.

Fieldsand is incredibly proud of the two pieces he has taken from his experienced opponent who has just triumphantly announced "check mate".

"I'm definitely not a chess player," he concedes.

"The Samaritans have been in Barnsley for 52 years.

"People think we are there for the last call when people are at their lowest point but we want to be there at the first call, at the start of the journey.

"That's why I wanted to be here, we should be working together and supporting everybody and promoting each other's wellbeing events and the importance of opening up."

Brookes hopes the chess club will grow organically in the future with sessions for women and children.

He also has a personal dream.

"I'd like my brother to come here and have a game when he's out," he says.

"That'd be amazing."

Just after 19:30 BST, he and several men who have stayed on to help clear up pack boards and chess pieces neatly back into boxes.

Tables are wiped down and there is some good-natured teasing about the contrasting ability within the group.

But there is also the exchange of handshakes and hugs, and promises that people will return.

Brookes sighs deeply.

"Wow," he says.

"I might need a bigger venue."

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