Mental health awareness and suicide prevention charity, Beder, has revealed its plans for Mental Health Awareness Week that will take place from 10th to 16th May. Throughout the week, Beder aims to build on its existing initiatives to break down the stigma of the topics surrounding mental health.
Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event that takes place in May and was set up by the Mental Health Foundation 21 years ago. The focus of this year’s campaign is ‘Nature’ as being in nature is commonly found to be an effective way of tackling mental health problems and protecting wellbeing.
Beder will be celebrating this theme through the following initiatives and encourages others to get involved and share their experiences to inspire others.
#NotJustAnotherWalk Challenge
Beder’s #NotJustAnotherWalk campaign will challenge people to step up their walking game. Research conducted by the Mental Health Foundation saw that going for walks outside has been one of the top coping mechanisms during the pandemic, with 45% of people reporting that green spaces had been vital for mental health over the last year. Therefore, instead of taking the same route around your neighbourhood, Beder is challenging people to head somewhere further afield such as a national park or National Trust trail.
People can get involved by sharing their walks using the #NotJustAnotherWalk hashtag. Beder will also be sharing specially created maps which highlight some of the top nature spots within the UK’s largest cities that can be used as inspiration to get people out and about.
Breathwork sessions with Jamie Clements
Beder will also be partnering with breathwork coach, Jamie Clements from The Breath Space. During Mental Health Awareness Week, Jamie will take over Beder’s Instagram and host a live IGTV breathwork workshop, where followers will be able to get outside and enjoy a guided ‘Breath of Fresh Air’.
Bring Nature Indoors
Finally, Beder has acknowledged that given the current climate, not everyone is able to get outside, so the charity will be working with an interior designer on ways to bring nature into the home through several interior design and styling tips.
Beder was founded by Razzak Mirjan and his family in honour of his younger brother, Beder Mirjan, who sadly took his own life at the age of 18 in 2017. The charity intends to increase understanding and reduce fear around the topics of mental health and suicide in order to overcome the stigma surrounding these incredibly important, yet underestimated, issues.
Razzak Mirjan said: “Over the last year, spending time outdoors, going on walks and discovering new forms of exercise have become so valuable, so throughout Mental Health Awareness Week, the team at Beder will be sharing further ways to get out and about. Fresh air and green spaces have been cited as one of the top ways that people looked after their mental health during the pandemic, but we know that speaking to friends, loved ones and family is equally as important. We hope to inspire others to get involved with our various activities and to help spread awareness of this hugely important cause. Together, we know that these small acts will build towards our overall aim of destigmatising the conversation around mental health and suicide.”
To get involved, head over to the Beder social media channels which can be found on Facebook @bederuk , Instagram @beder_uk and Twitter @beder_uk and use the hashtag #NotJustAnotherWalk.
You can also support Beder but purchasing a copy of the charity’s cookbook, From Beder’s Kitchen. From Beder’s Kitchen is a collection of recipes and reflections from several top chefs, influencers and foodies from around the world including Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi and Romy Gill, retailing at £22 and available to purchase online from www.beder.org.uk and Amazon in addition to bookshops including Waterstones.
For more information, visit: www.beder.org.uk
