In today’s fast-paced world, taking care of our mental health is more crucial than ever. Recognising the significance of this, we’ve launched a preventive campaign A Million Steps for Better Mental Health.
The campaign demonstrates the power physical activity can have on our mental health and wellbeing. It also strives to encourage community engagement, spread awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and share information about where you can seek support. We hope it’ll create positive change for our Bristol community.
We’re hoping for people join us in helping everyone in and around Bristol achieve the best mental health possible by taking part in our campaign in a 7-Day Step Challenge.
Why A Million Steps?
A million steps may seem like an ambitious goal, but it represents the journey to better mental health, one step at a time.
We’re asking people to take on a 7 Day Step Challenge and all the steps taken in that week will contribute to our goal of A Million Steps for Better Mental Health.
And, if you wish, you don’t need to stop after the 7 days! Our hope is by taking on the challenge you’ll feel the benefits of being physically active and its has a positive impact on your mental health and wellbeing.
Walking is not just a physical exercise; it’s a powerful way to boost mood, reduce stress, and clear one’s mind. By walking together, participants in this campaign will be taking care of their own wellbeing as well as showing their support to those in the community who need it.
We’re taking on the challenge!
From 25th September – 1st October, employees and volunteers at Bristol Mind are taking on the 7 Day Step Challenge! We want to lead by example and show our commitment to better mental health in the Bristol community, alongside the services we offer.
You can follow and support our journey on our JustGiving page here.
You can also check out the hashtag #BristolMillionSteps for our updates on our social media channels.
How can You Get Involved?
Participating in Bristol Mind’s A Million Steps for Better Mental Health is easy! It’s an inclusive campaign for anyone to get involved, individuals, teams and colleagues.
Here’s how you can join:
1. Register: Sign up here to join the 7 Day Step Challenge and decide when you plan to do the challenge.
2. Set Your Step Goal: We have three targets ranging from beginner to challenging, pick which best aligns with your fitness level.
- 100,000 Steps (challenging) – A minimum of 14,300 steps a day.
- 70,000 Steps (intermediate) – A minimum of 10,000 steps a day.
- 50,000 Steps (beginner) – A minimum of 7,200 steps a day.
3. Fundraise: Ask friends, family, and work colleagues to support your step challenge towards better mental health in Bristol.
If you fundraise £150, we’ll send you a certificate congratulating your contribution to the Million Steps for Better Mental Health mission and include your name in our list of supporters!
4. Track Your Progress: Use a pedometer, smartphone app, or fitness tracker to monitor your daily steps.
If you’re doing it with colleagues or friends, we recommend downloading the app Pacer and creating a challenge where you can all monitor each other’s daily steps and strive towards a goal together!
See our Bristol Mind team challenge here.
5. Get walking: Start moving! And don’t forget to share your journey using the official hashtag, #BristolMillionSteps. Tell us how it’s going and tag us in your pictures.
Why This Campaign Matters
Mental health challenges can affect anyone, and Bristol Mind is dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding these issues.
A Million Steps for Better Mental Health not only focuses on physical activity as a preventive to better mental health, but also encourages conversations about mental wellbeing.
By supporting this campaign, you’re improving your own mental health and helping us provide support to those who need it. Every step counts towards raising awareness, reducing stigma, and supporting the crucial services provided by Bristol Mind.
Together, we can be part of positive change towards better mental health, one step at a time.