Fife charities set to ‘Walk a Mile’ together to help promote Mental Health Awareness Week

This year’s theme for the week is loneliness, and across the country, people will be reflecting on loneliness and how it impacts our mental health as long-term loneliness is closely linked to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

The walk a mile activity is inspired by Chris McCullough Young’s walk around the UK to highlight the stigma surrounding mental health.

The concept is about bringing people together to speak about mental health and to walk a mile in each other’s shoes – with participants pairing up with someone they don’t know to walk a mile together whilst speaking about mental health.

One of the charities taking part is Curnie Clubs, which is a stepping stone to renewed community involvement for lonely and isolated adults in Fife.

Jo Mitchell, project support for Curnie Clubs, said: “We have members who as a result of long-term loneliness have developed mental health challenges, and we have members with lived experience of mental health discrimination who as a result have become isolated and lonely.

"We all experience mental health differently so this is about changing the way we think and speak about mental health problems.

"The event is going to be a challenge for some of our members, but they’re determined to take part and do the best they can to show mental health can be a topic of everyday conversation.”

Also taking part in the initiative is Fife Forum, which is a voluntary sector advice and information agency that provides information and advice on issues that affect older people and adults by providing elderly forums, user panels, local area coordination, and advocacy services.

Deanne Brogan, adult local area coordinator for Fife Forum, said: “I know first-hand how loneliness and social isolation can lead to people experiencing changes in their mental health.

"We want to be a part of breaking the stigma around discussing mental health in the hope that people who would usually keep this to themselves feel able to

reach out to have that conversation.

"That’s why we felt joining together to organise the walk and taking part during Mental Health Awareness Week was so important and worthwhile.”

For more information about Mental Health Awareness Week, please visit: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/, or if you would like more information about the services that Fife Curnie Clubs and Fife Forum offer, please visit: https://www.fifecurnieclubs.org/ or https://www.fifeforum.org.uk/.