AN OXFORD University student who set up a group championing men’s rights is hosting his first get-together at the weekend.

Alex Linsley, 20, a second year economics and management student at Merton College, launched the Man Collective-Oxford in November.

He set up the organisation to provide man-to-man support after noticing the high number of young men committing suicide in Oxford.

Now, working with friend Marc Quinn, he is hoping to bring like-minded men together at an event called The Gathering, to explore everything from healthcare to sexuality and gender policy.

He said: “Although there is quite an established network and movement of guys who are taking a stand and starting to challenge society’s expectations of them in the States, in the UK there is really nothing similar.”

Support for the group in Oxford remains relatively small, with just eight regular members, but Mr Linsley said there was a lot of interest from further afield, both within the university and the wider community.

He said the aim was “just to talk about where we, as men, are similar, and how we can support each other in getting the best out of men.”

He added: “It is very much pro-women’s rights as well.

“We want to remain completely separate from the women-haters who don’t represent anything we are about at all.”

The Gathering is at The Hatton, Hatton Garden, London, on Saturday, between 10am and 5pm. Tickets cost £25-£45.

He is anticipating about 50 people, including women, will attend the day, which will include workshops, speakers, discussion groups and other activities.

fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk To find out more about the event, and to register to attend, visit the website mancollective.co.uk