We join National Rural Mental Health Forum

We have joined a network of over 90 Scottish organisations to improve openness about mental health for those living in rural communities.

Regular walking, especially in a group, can improve mental health and reduce feelings of isolation

The National Rural Mental Health Forum aims to bring about positive change and create a robust evidence base about what helps to enhance quality of life.

We attended our first National Rural Health Forum meeting on International Women’s Day and were delighted to see such commitment among forum members to making a lasting difference to those affected by mental ill health in our rural communities.

Mental health continues to be a key focus for us as an organisation as we know that physical activity, particularly walking as part of a group, can help improve mental wellbeing and reduce feelings of isolation.

Last year, we signed Scotland’s Mental Health Charter for Physical Activity and Sport - an initiative led by our partner (and fellow forum member) The Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).

This Charter aims to improve equality and reduce discrimination for anyone experiencing poor mental health who is looking to engage in physical activity and sport.

We are continuing our work to ensure that Health Walks delivered across our network are welcoming, accessible and inclusive for all those who come along and will be launching a toolkit to help projects to support mental wellbeing.

To find out more about the work of the National Rural Mental Health Forum, click here