Fantastic atmosphere as 600 take part in Mind Your Head run

The eighth annual Mind Your Head fun run to promote positive mental health in the isles attracted 633 participants on Sunday.

The misty start to the day did not dampen the excitement of the charity’s organisers or participants, who could choose to run or walk five or 10 kilometres.

The venue was changed to Cunningsburgh this year to ensure better parking and safer routes for the participants. Until this year the event has been held in Spiggie, but as its popularity grew it was decided to move, with separate routes for the runners and walkers.

As registration opened the crowds flocked to the Cunningsburgh pitch to collect their race numbers and red t-shirts. They then gathered on the football field to join the mass warm-up, lead by Toyah Irvine from the Jazzercise group.

Shona Manson, from Mind Your Head (MYH), asked the crowd then to join her in a minute’s silence in remembrance of the oil workers who lost their lives in the helicopter tragedy on Friday. The crowds were then lead out of the park by Angie Inkster from Westside Pine who started the event.

MYH project worker Jenny Teale said: “The atmosphere was fantastic, the Jazzercise girls got the whole crowd moving and created a great hype before everyone headed out along the routes.

“It was fantastic to see so many taking time out to come along and support Mind Your Head and to reflect on what we as a community can do help to reduce the stigma of mental ill health. The walk gives everyone the time and space to talk openly and recognise their own mental health.”

Tea and cake was served in the hall after the walk and run by the MYH team and helpers.

The MYH team thanked the businesses and individuals who had ensured the event went well: Westside Pine for sponsoring this year’s t-shirts; Injury Shetland and Bruce McCulloch at Shetland Chiropody and Podiatry services for sponsoring the new route signs; and Raynet and the Shetland Football Association for their continued support. Thanks were also extended to British Red Cross for the first aid cover and Tesco for supplying the water and fruit. Most of all the MYH team thanked all the runners and walkers.