A day aimed at improving people’s mental health is being held in Shotts later next weekend.
Getting Better Together has arranged the Mind Your Health event which will bring the community together with a range of mental health improvement activities on offer from cold water therapy to getting people back in the saddle cycling.
It's part of the organisation's Get Active – Get Going Programme and will take place at their base at the Shotts Healthy Living Centre on Kirk Road on Saturday, June 25.
The introduction to cold water therapy sessions will be provided by Darren Adam, a certified Wim Hof Method instructor. This type of therapy perfected by the Dutch “Ice Man” is proving increasingly popular due to its physical and mental benefits.
If the cold isn’t for you, there are other sessions to try your hand at including creative arts and pamper sessions.
There will be bouncy castles for energetic youngsters and those not-so-young, with Inflatable City which features a 50ft assault course and a disco castle.
Supporting agencies such as LAMH, Street Soccer and Samaritans, will also have stalls on the day and there will be a Big Mental Health Walk through the town.
William Elder, Health and Wellbeing Officer for the Get Active – Get Going Programme, said: “We’re going to set up ice buckets outside in a gazebo, but it is optional and there will be basins where people can dip their feet in and there will be workshops focusing on breathing.
“The pamper sessions will include massage, nails and make-up. And there will be a yoga session too.
“We’ll also have children’s bikes set up and there will be cycle repairs if needed.
“At the end of the day we’re going to have a walk round Shotts, we’re trying to remove the stigma around mental health and we’ve created t-shirts that we will wear to show our support to the wider community – people who may be affected but don’t attend the event.
“We’ll have arts and crafts sessions and then leave messages on love hearts in the community garden fence. Within our workshops we will allow people to get creative and also talk about mindfulness.”
The centre’s café will also be open on the day for food and drinks.
The event is free and all are welcome, activities will begin at 10am and run through until 2pm. The Mental Health Walk will take place between 2pm and 3pm.
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