Gavin Harrison and Rebecca Brownrigg are your  Mental Health Champions for  Sneyd Striders Running Club.

This is a fantastic opportunity to further strengthen our togetherness and continue to be a welcoming, supportive and inclusive club. The programme was launched by England Athletics in 2016, in partnership with mental health charity Mind. By establishing a support network of ambassadors in running groups and affiliated clubs in England; it aims to encourage those experiencing mental health issues to begin, return to or continue running, using running as a positive tool to improve mental wellbeing. As Mental Health Champions, we will  support both new and existing club members in all aspects of mental health awareness.

Part of the programme is the #runandtalk# campaign, improving mental wellbeing through running by:

• Getting people talking about mental health, sharing their experiences and removing stigma.
• Raising awareness of mental health problems.
• Supporting people experiencing mental health problems to start, return to and continue running.

With 1 in 4 people in the UK experiencing a mental health problem each year, this is an alarming statistic, which is why we believe this is a fantastic programme.  

As runners we definitely know the positive effect that physical activity has on our body and mind but having mental health problems can certainly make it difficult to get out there. This is where the support network kicks in and where we make sure that Sneyd Striders continues to provide a safe and encouraging atmosphere. Just knowing that there is someone to talk to and someone who understands can make a huge difference to those of us experiencing mental health problems. We hope that as Mental Health Champions we can make others feel positive and supported.

Click here for Mind – Crisis services and planning for a crisis