It's ok not to be ok #worldmentalhealthday
The Summit Crazy team and friends have been saddened by the loss of some of their running friends over the past few years. It is important to be aware that just because you have a smile on your face, doesn't mean everything is ok #gettalking.
Early 2020 we met up with #summitcrazy ambassador Steve and The Newcastle Hiking Team, to see how we could work together to help raise mental health awareness. We created a range of Newcastle Hiking products that could be purchased from our website or at Newcastle Hiking events. We also branded them with the chosen charity Anxious Minds. A percentage of money from each sale goes to Anxious Minds.
Based in The North East Anxious Minds are there to help anyone experiencing mental health problems. They offer the following:
Drop-in Centres
Peer Support Groups
Counselling Service
Well-being Classes and Workshops
Online Community Website
NEWCASTLE HIKING GROUP
My name is Steve and I help run Newcastle Hiking. We started the group as a way of sharing our time outdoors with others, but the beginning of 2020 saw us change the direction of the group and focus more on making the outdoors as accessible for as many as possible.
After many years of personal struggle with mental health, I was keen to try and help others in some way. Knowing how much the outdoors had helped me it seemed like a great place to start. In late 2019 we talked as a group about how we could use the group in such a way that would allow people to come along and join in. Our vision was to help people get in to the hills more and take on more challenging days out. We started by creating some events for low level walks and beach walks. These saw pretty good turn outs and we realised pretty quickly that this was giving people a sense of community and togetherness, which is extremely positive for a persons mental health. Since then we have ran several events of varying difficulties where people have challenged themselves and succeeded.
The community that has grown from the group is amazing to be part of and has seen many friendships grown from strangers meeting on a beach. Myself, Steve, Dean and Dan couldn’t be happier with what has grown so far and the positive affects it has had, not only for ourselves but the people that have joined us along the way.
Get your Summit Crazy/Newcastle Hiking clothing at the next hiking event or at www.summitcrazy.co.uk/nhg-clothing
Lockdown, especially the extra measures in The North East have meant that all current Newcastle Hiking events have been postponed. Give them a follow to keep up to date with their future events. We hope to see you on their next adventure.
Newcastle Hiking Group - https://www.facebook.com/newcastlehiking
Anxious Minds - https://www.anxiousminds.co.uk/
