What happens when men step out of their comfort zones and pick up a pen? Heids Up, Pens Oot brings together writers, Neil Renton, Mark Fleming, and Andrew Whyte, alongside award-winning playwright and children’s author, Ross Collins Mackay. In a powerful, peer-led event, these writers turn the microphones on each other in a series of intimate interviews reflecting on stigma, recovery, and ongoing positive mental health.

The journey began at Hibernian FC within The Changing Room — a 12-week SAMH mental health support programme for ‘men in middle years.’ Here, Neil and Mark discovered a shared passion for using words to navigate life’s struggles. This evolved into the acclaimed anthology, Heids Up, a collection of over 50 flashes, longer stories, memoirs, and essays.

Neil and Mark’s paths crossed with Ross’s ‘Men With Pens’ initiative, bridging writers from Edinburgh and Perth (including Andrew), who were invited to become penpals, encouraging each other’s work and sharing stories. Men With Pens culminated in an appearance at the 2025 Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Aligning with this year’s festival theme, ‘Reflections’, the authors look back at the letters, drafts, and bonds forged over months of collaborative writing. They will read raw, moving excerpts from their work and openly discuss how creative expression serves as an essential outlet for maintaining positive mental health.