I’m Lee Stevens

Growing up, I was always known as a lovable rogue who somehow always managed to get myself into trouble, especially as I got into my late teenage years involved in a lot of violence, whether that was at the local football or outside school.

After getting in trouble with the police, I started to go to kickboxing and martial arts, to channel my aggression when I realised I was pretty good. I went on to pursue a career in martial arts. I managed to achieve a gold medal at the WKA World Championships as well as a British title. I was ranked in the top five in the country at one point and threw it all away with a few bad decisions. I managed to get myself locked up as an enforcer for a local drug cartel as the papers liked to say.

After spending some time in prison I was released and that’s when I hit some struggles, I’ve gone from being locked up all the time to now being set free which I found difficult. I carried on with a career in scaffolding and became very qualified

I got married and had kids I thought it was going to be happily ever after, then one day a young lad fell from the scaffold right in front of me and broke his back. Naturally, there were investigations and I began to find things very stressful at work. I came home to a young family with sleepless nights and I found things stressful at home too to the point. I couldn’t take stress much more and had a breakdown.

I spent a lot of time working on myself, going to counselling and doing meditation and breathing work. This meant I didn’t have any violent outbursts with my depression. I would go down to the local boxing gym and work the bag. I would do a lot of running as well as hiking and as time went on I started to feel better about myself. I began to spend time helping other people who were making bad decisions and people who were suffering from anxiety and depression.

And here we are with Primal Instincts after a few of my friends and I decided to jump in our local river. And wow, did it change things?

My name is Christopher Paul Booth "Boothy"

I am 43 years old and was born in Portsmouth but raised in Telford, as well as various HMP establishments. I am one of the founders of Primal Instincts alongside Lee Stevens and Ricky Briffa.

I was a promising boxer from the age of 11 to 16 and my coaches had high hopes. However, due to my choice of social circle of older peers and an accumulation of poor decisions, I spent a large part of my young and adult life incarcerated, 14 years to be exact.

Mixed in with the crime lifestyle was addiction, various pills, substances, and powders. Which left a large trail of chaos and destruction. This way of life provided me with the knowledge I now use to educate others, my understanding of crime, rehabilitation, and punishment as well as drug addiction, overdoses, anxiety, and depression are some of the reasons why Primal Instincts began.

Too many men take their own lives, not knowing that there is another way. So we are in the business of creating safe spaces for men. Men are to be accountable for their words and actions. Primal Instinct is a family, a brotherhood where we all look out for each other.

Our separate roads have now led us to be on the same road, a road where you give back to get back. We move as one body, one brotherhood. While there is breath in my body I will continue to help men.

'Community unity' 

'We bleed together, we heal together'

My name is Alan Kennedy many people know me as 'AK'.

I am a self employed courier living in Telford.

I started my journey with Primal Instincts just as the group were finding their feet, I saw on Facebook pictures of the lads in the river on a Saturday, I reached out to Lee and asked a few questions about what they were doing as it looked like a challenging bit of fun.

During the time that Primal Instincts were starting I had hit rock bottom myself, I had lost everything that I loved and I was blaming everyone else. The truth is I was responsible for how I felt, I had been making bad decisions for many years and hurting the people closest to me. Suddenly, I found myself alone and struggling to see how life could be any better.

For many years I has been using cocaine, what I thought was a habit was actually an uncontrollable addiction. I used drugs to hide from everything that had ever happened in my life, every twist and turn ended the same way. All of a sudden I was down, lower than I could have ever imagined.

I will never forget the first time I went to the river, suddenly I felt part of something, I was no longer alone. Since being a part of Primal Instincts I haven't had an alcoholic drink or felt the need to have any drugs and I will work to ensure that never changes. My life has been rebuilt, my partner is proud of the man I am. She takes comfort in knowing that there are men to support one another and I can continue to be a better father for the children we share.

I now play my part in supporting others in their own battles, I do what I can to promote Primal Instincts. The group has something for everyone and each person within the group is as valuable as the other. Relatable experience is extremely important when overcoming the challenges we face in life.   

I am Andy Hedges and I am a company director from Shifnal.
 
I became involved in Primal Instincts at the back end of summer last year. I had suffered a period of significant anxiety and burn out from driving myself too hard in all areas of life, I lived by a work to fail principle and I had hit that point.
 
Whilst I was going through a period of recovery, a friend of mine saw what Primal Instincts were doing and suggested I gave it a go, so I went down to the river and got involved. Since then I have become involved with helping to lead the Talking Circle, attending the Walk 'n' Talk and the Wrekin Challenge and Share.
 
I have become a member of the back room support group known as the generals where I support with health and safety and general policy development.
 
What Primal Instincts has done for me is to offer a really safe space to talk about anything that’s going on in my life. It has introduced me to an amazing bunch of people who I know will be there if I need support with anything, no matter how big or small that might be. It has also offered the chance to offer support to others who may need it, we have all had such a variety of life experiences.
 
Whilst we may spend time talking and sharing about some very difficult topics, there is another massively important element that is abundant in the group and that is laughter. There is a huge amount fun and laughter within the group and that is a real joy to me, and I look forward to being a member of this group going in to what will be an exciting future.

I am Mark Lloyd 'Lloydy'

I have my own bathroom renovation company, based in Telford

Primal Instincts became a part of my life while my recovery was already in motion, for many years I suffered from a drinking problem. Alcohol had been destroying every part of my life until I reached a point where it could take no more from me except my own life. November 2023 saw me reach a year sober, a milestone that means the world to me and the people closest to me. 

Primal Instincts has allowed me to continue my recovery, share my passion for fitness, and push other men to become better versions of themselves.

The platform that Primal Instincts offers is unique, they have something to offer for every man regardless of your background.

I am Dean Anslow and I am 44 years old.

Father of 4 and Primal volunteer. Helping in the general's group and The Talking Circle.

I’m a former weekend user and abuser, my weekends consisted of drinks drugs, and violence going from that to being in Motorcycle groups. None of which ended well, bringing on a full breakdown at 36 years old. It was a humbling experience but a wake-up call, one that my life needed. The clean-up then began and rebuilding my life and relationships with my older children.

My life in Primal Instincts started from seeing a picture to a conversation with the late Ricky Briffa that ended in 'Meet us at 6 am and you have to dunk ya head' I was there and hooked. From 38 men to over 140 men now in the group chat just shows the rapid success of the group and being asked to help Lee and Chris out has been a pleasure. We have a goal and relentless passion to create a safe space for men.

Sharing my personal downfalls in life has helped me, but also it helps others know they are not alone and together we help each other, Primal Instincts is embarking on a mission against the real pandemic that is Men's mental health the biggest killer of our generation. Suicide is the biggest killer of men aged 35 and under one huge step in combating this is to let men know that it’s ok to talk and provide safe spaces in which they feel safe to open up and share. 

Something Primal Instincts have worked on with members volunteering on Wrekin Challenge and Share, The Talking Circle, Walk 'n' Talk, and recently added an online chat as well, creating memories and making friends has been amazing, and seeing older friends to it’s an honour to be a PRIMAL

 

My name is Liam Rashleigh but have always been known as Rash.

I have been involved since the beginning, I went to the river with Ricky the very first time and slowly it started to become more regular, as well as enjoying the river we would often travel to waterfalls sometimes during the night. 

In the past, I have suffered from excessive drinking which often led to substance abuse. For many years repeating the same cycle with no real desire to stop. Being part of the group has allowed me to become aware of the problems I face and I am better placed to control them.

I assist the group with arranging events to bring men together, provide men with opportunities that they wouldn't normally have to bring them out of their comfort zone, and face their fears.

 

 

My name is Kenny Churchill.

I am a Personal Trainer and Mixed Martial arts coach from Telford. 

I started my journey with Primal Instincts before it was officially called Primal Instincts, I saw Ricky Briffa and Liam Rashleigh on Snapchat swimming in the river, then saw my good friend Lee Stevens had jumped on too. I spoke to Lee about it and he invited me to join, I did the following week and never looked back. The cold water therapy side of things is a massive new addition to my weekly routine.

In regards to my mental health, it's never been better! I have had knocks with mental health in the past and I realised what caused mine and dealt with it before Primal Instincts was even a thing. Having gone through my demons previously I like to give back now and help other men through theirs as I can relate to carrying extra weight on your shoulders and how it makes you feel and think, so it's only right I do my best to help others improve their mental health also.

Primal Instincts has allowed me to be part of something really important and I'm very proud to be part of the movement. It's also allowed me to meet some fantastic people, people that I'd happily call brothers at this point.

Rest In Peace Ricky Briffa, without him, none of this happened

Hi, I'm Mitch,

I have a work background in healthcare for both the NHS and Private within Unscheduled & Scheduled Care. My experience allows me to play an important role in ensuring that the men who attend our events are looked after correctly. 

I found Primal Instincts through social media by sheer chance just scrolling through my feed and this is where I first met Ricky, after we exchanged messages I was invited to a meal for his birthday where I met other members and the Directors and that's where my journey with this wonderful group started.

Now I am a regular attendee of the Talking Circle, it is a fantastic opportunity to share the real problems that men face. Receiving advice from men who have lived through similar experiences allows me to manage my circumstances much better.