Mind Your Head notches up £5,000 from Spiggie Run

THE MIND Your Head charity has had another successful year, with its annual Round Spiggie Fun Run/Walk raising nearly £5,000.

Four hundred and fifty people took part this year and thanks to the sponsor, Lerwick Building Centre, all participants received another Mind Your Head t-shirt to add to their collection.

Chairwoman Shona Manson said: “We are delighted to have had sponsorship from LBC this year and would like to thank them for continuing their support by involving Mind Your Head in their pre-Christmas promotion.

“Discounts will be available in all departments until the end of November for those people wearing any Mind Your Head t-shirt, or a band or anything with the Mind Your Head logo on it.

“Our main aim is to help reduce the stigma of mental health in Shetland and to encourage people to become more open about the subject and accept that we all have mental health. Every day life and experiences can be challenging to each and every one of us and often our mental well being can suffer. Talking, sharing and being more accepting can help.”

This year Mind Your Head has been working closely with NHS Shetland through the Shetland Mental Health partnership to joint fund the new post of Mind Your Head self-help practitioner.

Ms Manson said that having had the additional funding required for the post confirmed she was hoping to be able to advertise in early 2009.

She said: “The post holder will work with people with mild to moderate mental health issues by supporting them to utilise self help and self esteem building packages.

“They will also focus on training other professionals to ensure that people are offered alternatives and complementary support to anti-depressants.”

Young people are also a focus of Mind Your Head’s work and a project is currently being undertaken at the Bridges Project to produce a range of posters and other materials in relation to mental health.

Ms Manson said: “Our aim is to give young people the opportunity to design posters and leaflets that mean something to their peers and can encourage them to share their concerns and know that it’s okay not to feel okay all the time.”

In conjunction with the Shetland Recreational Trust, Mind Your Head are planning joint promotions to encourage people of all ages and levels of fitness to take up some form of exercise and experience the benefits of your mental and physical well-being.

For further information on Mind Your Head see www.mindyourhead.org.uk