Get Movingis is a week of physical activity events in October (9 to 17 October 2010) which bring people together to challenge stigma and discrimination and promote the benefits of being active for mental wellbeing.

Physical activity can boost mental wellbeing by lifting your mood, reducing tension and stress and giving you more energy. It has also been evidenced that social physical activity with people of varying mental health experiences can help break down stigma.

Get Moving is part of the groundbreaking programme, Time to Change, aiming to reduce mental health stigma and discrimination. For more information about Time to Change please visit www.time-to-change.org.uk

How can we get involved in Get Moving week?

You can get involved by organising an event that brings people together to exercise in a fun, sociable way. Your event can be suited to the facilities and time available to you keep it small or aim big! At each event there should be an effort to bring together a diverse audience, particularly people with and without experience of distress together. Get Moving can help you with ideas if you get stuck and will support you and provide you with resources to get you started.

Why get involved

Mental ill health can seriously hinder people’s lives; with both the symptoms and the stigma associated, you can help improve this situation.

You will be involved in a groundbreaking project to change attitudes and challenge discrimination.

Press coverage of the week will be generated, increasing the profile of your organisation.

Celebrity endorsement and participation in events will help to increase the Get Moving profile.

Get Moving will support you and provide resources to get you started including an event toolkit, promotional materials (including posters and postcards), support on how to achieve local PR and you can promote events on the Get Moving website. All participants in your event will also receive Get Moving merchandise.

FAQ

I want to put on an event, where do I begin?
Contact Get Moving about putting on an event and they will provide you with a toolkit, giving you ideas for what you need to consider. It is up to you on the scale of your event but they ask that you consider elements such as publicity and promotion, facilities for participants and the safety of your event.

How does social physical activity break down stigma?
It has been proven in other mental health anti-stigma and discrimination campaigns across the world, such as Like Minds Like Mine (New Zealand), or See Me (Scotland), that by bringing people together socially you get to understand the person behind the illness, thereby breaking down stigma. That’s why we ask that each event makes an effort to be inclusive to all communities and ensure that both people with and without experience of distress participate. The toolkit will supply you with ideas about how to make your event sociable.

How do ensure we are involving a diverse audience?
There are lots of local organisations including charities and NHS trusts who you could possibly work in partnership with, or help you to promote your event. There are also local Mind associations and Rethink branches around the country who might like to get involved. Get Moving can put you in contact and there may even be the opportunity to develop a longer term partnership.

What physical activities are appropriate?
Any activity is good for our mental wellbeing and even raising the heart beat just a notch can make us feel a bit better. For an event, it’s advisable to do something which appeals to all abilities and levels of fitness to be as accessible as possible.

How do I make sure that mental wellbeing is on the agenda for my event?
The toolkit will contain ideas to get you started.

Will Get Moving monitor the success of my event?
No. All they ask is that you help them to complete their own evaluation. All Time to Change projects are evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry to check they are reaching their objectives in reducing stigma and discrimination. Your help is needed to ensure that they are reaching a diverse group of beneficiaries.

How do I get a toolkit?
For more information and to register follow this link to the Time to Change website:

www.time-to-change.org.uk/what-were-doing/get-moving/about-get-moving

CLICK HERE to go to our events page which will be listing Get Moving Events in Cambridgeshire 2010