'Mindful Monday' walk proves an uplifting success

Despite local coronavirus restrictions being in place, fantastic weather and wonderful people helped make a local charity's 'Mindful Monday' session this week a huge success. 

Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique, as well as a mental state, achieved by focusing awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

It wasn't going to be an easy task for Rebecca and Caroline from Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind to set up a Mindful Monday outdoor session, taking in the sights and sounds of Stamford Park - but adding in an extra session at the last minute ensured everyone could attend and more importantly, do it in a safe way.

Participants received an introduction to mindfulness, then enjoyed a 20-minute mindful walk, followed by a chance to feedback on how they found the experience.

Positive comments included how it was a nice change to get away from the laptop and enjoy being outdoors, how being mindful enabled them to hear the small details of birds in flight and feel the ground beneath their feet, the sun on their skin, seeing squirrels burying nuts, and seeing patches of the riverbed where the sun was cutting through the water.

Rebecca, who helped facilitate the three sessions on Monday, said: "Although our new online Zoom sessions are ongoing and have been really well received, we know that people have been really keen to do something face to face but in a safe way.

"The sessions were really well attended and from the feedback it’s clear that the demand is there, and more local people would like to access walking and mindfulness sessions outdoors just like this." 

TOG Mind are using the event as a springboard to provide more outdoor walking wellbeing group activities and mindful walking sessions over the coming weeks, with at least two planned per month. You can find out more about these sessions and book on by contacting Rebecca or Caroline on 0161 330 9223.

You can also see all the latest updates by following togmind_wellbeing_hub on Instagram. If you or anyone you know would like to access support or training with TOG Mind or get involved with Covid relief fundraising, call their office on 0161 330 9223, visit https://www.togmind.org/home or head to www.facebook.com/TamesideOldhamGlossopMind.