England Athletics announces national #runandtalk campaign to improve mental wellbeing through running

From the 8-14 October, England Athletics will be encouraging people to run one mile or further and to have a chat with their running partner or group at a time and location of their choice. During the week, England Athletics clubs and RunTogether groups will also host organised runs to help get more people to #runandtalk. 

The event is supported by a network of over 200 volunteer England Athletics Mental Health Ambassadors who are active in affiliated running clubs and groups across England. The ambassadors provide support for those experiencing mental health problems in a variety of ways to help and encourage people to either start or get back into and continue running.

England Athletics is a signatory of the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation and the objectives of the #runandtalk campaign reflect the five outcomes of the Charter. The #runandtalk campaign aims to improve mental health through running in England 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 be physically active through running, whether that is to support them in starting, returning to or continuing to run

For more information on how to get involved sign up on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/1389366867746707/

Join the conversation using the hashtag #runandtalk

If you are planning to support World Mental Health Day 2016 and would like to sign up to the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation please register here

Share this article:

Back to all news