Published on: 19 July 2019
Improving physical and mental health to benefit the whole community through exercise and conversation was the aim of the second #Runwalktalk event in Derby.
The event, run in partnership between Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and a host of partner organisations, was staged in Darley Park on 18 July and saw almost 50 people, including Trust staff and service users, take part in a 3.5-mile run, a 2.5-mile run/walk or a 1.5-mile walk around the Darley Abbey park.
Trust Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Subodh Dave, one of the event organisers, said: “We want to try to engage more with the local community. This event is for you, whether you are mentally or physically unwell or not, wheth
er you are a runner or not. It’s about getting together – if we do that, if we walk and talk together then we can make it happen and do some good in our community.”
Trust Community Psychiatric Nurse Jane Foulkes (pictured with Dr Dave), herself an experienced runner, spoke about how running had been good for her mental as well as for her physical health. She added: “It made me respect myself and made me realise that I could do so much more than I had thought possible.”
Opportunities to be active
The runs and walks were led by experienced jog/walk leaders. Those involved alongside the Trust included Jog Derbyshire, Derbyshire Mind, Peak Running, Move More Derby, Community Action Derby, Live Well Derby, Park Run and Shelton Striders.
All of these groups offer different programmes and opportunities to help people in the city and county to become more active. These include Couch to 5k programmes, Thursday morning bRUNch Club trail runs and the Kedleston Hall 5k and 10k trails on the fourth Sunday of the month.
Other people also shared moving stories at the event, including a Trust service user who spoke about how running had made them realise how important it was to eat correctly, and how inclusive and unpressurised they had found running, and a Trust colleague who found that exercise was the answer to problems with post-natal depression.
The #Runwalktalk followed a similar event on Time to Talk Day in February this year at Markeaton Park in Derby. The organisers plan to make it a regular event. The next one is planned for October 2019 – more details will be available soon.
