Mental health walk around UHI Campus helps tackle loneliness

The scheme between NHS Highland and the University of Highlands and Islands was started in February and is returning for a second semester.

Under the guidance of qualified volunteer walk leader, Mari Todd, the idea of the walks is to allow student volunteers and local folk to interact and talk about the issues surrounding loneliness in a safe, friendly and nurturing environment.

The first walk of the semester will take place at 2pm on Wednesday 29th August 2018.

For those who are interested in taking part, a meeting point will be established within the entrance foyer of the Inverness College UHI main building.

Mari Todd, who is a lecturer at UHI, said: 'We are proud to again support NHS Highland’s Reach Out campaign to tackle social isolation and at the same time offer our students an ideal platform to develop their own skills and experience.'

Mari said that after they started she soon had a band of ‘regular’ members of the public attending, who looked forward to coming on the walks each week.

She said that she got to know these regulars well and while the sessions were only once a week, she could see them improving both in health and confidence.

Mari added that the students seemed to benefit as well.

She said: 'The students have fed back that they have really benefited from the opportunity the health walks provide for them to interact with the public.

It has been great to see how much the students gained confidence in their listening skills and in their ability to provide a relaxed atmosphere, so that the walks were welcoming to anyone who came along.'

NHS Highland’s ‘Reach Out’ campaign to tackle loneliness and social isolation was launched in May 2016. The initiative encourages people to get active and start a conversation about how they can combat loneliness in their community.

For more information, visit www.reachout.scot.nhs.uk