If you’re unhappy and you know it, go for a run: Manchester showcases link between exercise and mental health

Posted Monday, April 22, 2013

By Sam Richardson

The link between mental well-being and exercise is being underlined this week with a physical health day in Manchester.

A physical health day aimed at improving mental wellbeing, with activities including Zumba and football, will be held in Manchester on Wednesday.

Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust will be hosting the conference on Wednesday – dubbed the Effectiveness Day – which will demonstrate the connection between mental and physical health.

A range of activities that are available across the city will be showcased, including Zumba and football, such as walking challenges and chair-based exercises for the less physically able.

Petra Brown, Chief Pharmacist of the Trust, organised the event. She said: “There are lots of services that can help support you change your lifestyle.

“The aim of the day is to make sure people know what’s out there.”

Longford Stadium will play host to the event, which will focus on wellbeing. There will be information

stands on the Community Nutrition Service, and the Trust’s own health trainers.

Ms Brown said: “Normally these days are quite structured, whereas this is a lot looser.

“People can just pop in at any point; they don’t have to be here for the whole day.”

A number of guests will speak about a range of topics, including the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC).

CLAHRC is a project linking GPs and the Trust’s North West Team to improve the physical health of the service users.

There will also be speakers from Rethink mental illness, and a local GP.

“There’s a combination of research and academic staff, as well as the people that are around and seeing things at work,” Ms Brown said.

Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust is one of only five combined social care Trusts in England and Wales.

The event will start at 09:30 and finish at 16:00, and it will be closed by The Trust’s Chief Executive, Michele Moran.

For more information, and to register, email: quality.admin@mhsc.nhs.uk or call (0161) 277 1214.

Credit: Mancunian Matters http://mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/220410087-if-youre-unhappy-and-you-know-it-go-run-manchester-showcases-link-between-exercise