Lancashire Mind breaking boundaries for Mental Health Awareness Week

To kick start Mental Health Week which runs from 18th-25th  May, local charity Lancashire Mind are asking people to walk Lancashire’s borders in their biggest fundraising event to date. 

Starting on Monday 30th May, the Breaking Boundaries challenge tasks participants to collectively walk the equivalent of Lancashire’s original borders – a total of 417 miles, and pledge money for each mile they walk.  

People joining in can contribute as many miles as they can manage, whether they run laps in their garden or count up the steps in their daily dog walk. 

Tommy McIlravey CEO at Lancashire Mind said: “At Lancashire Mind we believe that there should be no barriers to people achieving good mental health and wellbeing and we work continually to break boundaries and lead a mental wellbeing revolution. 

“Breaking Boundaries 2020 was created out of a desire of three things; spreading the word about better mental health for all, celebrating Lancashire and encouraging people and businesses to get active during lockdown whilst raising some money at the same time.” 

The original Lancashire border once included Greater Manchester, Liverpool and parts of Cumbria such as Ulverston and Grange-over-Sands. This equates to 417 miles of boundary that Howard May used to create the Lancashire Border Walk in the 1980’s.

Mental Health Awareness Week is the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health and mental health problems and inspire action to promote the message of good mental health for all. With one in four people in the UK experiencing mental health problems each year, the work that Lancashire Mind carry out across the county is as important as ever. 

“It’s important for us at Lancashire Mind to help start discussions about mental health and wellbeing, especially in the workplace, and Mental Health Awareness Week is a great opportunity for us to do that. 

“Employers may need be mindful of how their employees are feeling and the effects the current situation has had on them. It may be difficult for people returning to work after such an extended period and they may have had to cope with either themselves or loved ones being ill being as well. 

“These are unprecedented times and there will be people that are experiencing mental health conditions and wellbeing concerns for the first time, as well as those that face them every day and its more important than ever that we are able to continue to deliver our services."

You can find more information on how to take part in the Breaking Boundaries 2020 and Lancashire Mind services on their website www.lancashiremind.org.uk