Norfolk and Waveney Mind Announce Return of Award-Winning Fitness and Running Project
Local mental health charity, Norfolk and Waveney Mind are pleased to announce their award-winning Pace of Mind fitness and running project will be returning for 2022/23 in the King’s Lynn, Great Yarmouth, Thetford, Sheringham and Mile Cross, Norwich areas of Norfolk.
Pace of Mind 2022 will offer nature-based physical activities designed to establish self-sustaining running and walking groups for those experiencing or at risk of poor mental health as a result of the impact of the pandemic.
Pace of Mind programmes will be linked to specific Primary Care Networks (PCNs) with high levels of poor mental health, social deprivation and physical inactivity indicators. Each programme will have a close relationship with a cluster of GP practices and their social prescribing networks.
Group activities will take place in underused urban or rural green spaces to familiarise participants with local natural resources. The wellbeing running group uses a gentle Couch to 5k style approach, which offers participants of all ages and abilities the opportunity to gradually improve their fitness in the mutually supportive company of others experiencing similar emotional health issues. Walking group participants will also benefit from learning mindfulness skills including “forest bathing” sessions with take-home audio recordings, offered by our Mindfulness service.
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Each group will recruit volunteer peer support buddies to provide support, motivation and encouragement from a lived experience perspective. A social meet-up will follow each session to further foster social connection, as well as offering a signposting opportunity to voluntary, community and statutory sector organisations and health and social care initiatives to enable participants to link up with a wider network of local support. The project coordinator will provide mental health advice, signposting and support to participants during and between sessions.
Ruth Taylor, Social Development and Mindfulness Manager at Norfolk and Waveney Mind, explained why this approach is so beneficial for combatting community isolation.
“We know that running and exercise are great ways to improve our overall happiness, health and mental wellbeing, and the power it has to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.
We have found time and time again, through our other initiatives, that running and exercise at whatever pace can be fun and rewarding for everyone, particularly when you do it in good company!
We really hope to build up a friendly running community that, longer term, will carry this enthusiasm forward”
To find out more, please email paceofmind@norfolkandwaveneymind.org.uk
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