One coffee.
A growing movement.
Shoulder to Shoulder grew from one meeting between two strangers to a community of thousands.
Where It Began
S2S was started through a simple message on social media.
Two years ago, our co-founders, Dan Shrigley and Tom Stroud, were two strangers who both had a huge interest in men’s mental health and connecting people.
In November 2024, Dan saw one of Tom’s social media posts, and sent him a DM. They got chatting and arranged to meet-up for a coffee a few weeks later.
They immediately got on, but also noticed something strange. It felt uncomfortable for two men who didn’t know each other to meet-up. Almost like two men meeting to simply talk, connect and build a friendship was something men weren't supposed to do.
They were both looking for more connection and belonging, but didn't have the tools or the environment to find it. And they started wondering: if they felt this way, how many other men did too?
And that’s when Shoulder to Shoulder was born.
We started with a monthly walk and a coffee in February 2025 before growing to fortnightly meet-ups. Today, Shoulder to Shoulder hosts more than 25 events every month and has been called “the modern men’s club fighting loneliness” by The Times and “the anti-manosphere community” by the Independent.
Why? Because it turns out Tom and Dan’s theory was right. They weren't the only men who had drifted from old friendships, felt isolated or struggled to find connection and purpose. But spaces like Shoulder to Shoulder simply didn’t exist for these men.
Every day, we see our members change from feeling isolated and disconnected to becoming more confident, supported and fulfilled.
And as we’ve grown, we’ve seen more and more support for what we’re doing - from the media, to the Mayor of London, to the incredible organisations and brands that we partner with.
Meet the Founders
Dan Shrigley
It's funny how I started this community to help others, but it's ended up being incredibly important for me too. I've made some strong friends through this group, I even went on holiday with an S2S member, and it's given me a sense of purpose I've been craving for years.
That sense of purpose revolves around my mission to prevent what happened to my Dad from happening to others, because I believe a greater sense of belonging and connection could have avoided the struggles he faced inside his head.
Whilst we're not a mental health support group, the impact S2S is having on the mental health of our members is huge. In a world where men are often told to just “talk more”, I couldn't be prouder of this community for creating an environment where men are given space to show-up however they want to.
Meet the Founders
Tom Stroud
Growing up without a dad around, I never really had a male role model. I found it hard to trust men, hard to build real friendships with other guys, and I carried that all the way into adulthood and 17 years of corporate life.
Meeting Dan for a coffee in January 2025 changed that. What I’ve found in the community has been incredible: hundreds, then thousands, of genuinely good men, showing up for each other in a way I'd never really seen growing up. It rewired something in me. For the first time, I started to see men as role models, and myself as the kind of role model I'd been missing.
Connection is the thing so many men are looking for, and most of us have never been shown how to build it. I’m passionate about supporting young men, giving them an alternative to the manosphere. Every week I see our members go from isolated to genuinely connected, and I'm reminded that walking away from the corporate path was the best decision I ever made.
Speaking Opportunities and Corporate Partnerships
Dan and Tom have partnered with the likes of Reddit, MHP Group, Diageo and Uncovered to bring the story of Shoulder to Shoulder to corporate audiences, through keynote talks, panels and fireside chats.
Both Dan and Tom draw on deeply personal stories: Tom’s complicated, unresolved relationship with an absent father, and Dan’s experience of his father’s six-month hospitalisation for severe depression and psychosis. Their fathers’ shared struggle with a lack of connection and purpose is a core part of the reason Shoulder to Shoulder exists today.
To book Dan and Tom for your next event, please contact them on tom@shouldertoshoulder.co.uk dan@shouldertoshoulder.co.uk
“Thanks to Tom and Dan for their brilliant and inspiring talk. It clearly hit home for many of the team, I had so many people reach out to me who wanted to feedback how well thought out the talk was, and how inspired they felt following. The work they’re doing is clearly incredibly impactful to so many people. I shouldn't have favourites - but it was the best one yet.” - Lucy Peek, Operations Manager, Uncovered
