This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme for 2024, as set by the Mental Health Foundation, is ‘Movement: moving for our mental health’.
We all know the positive effect of being active on mental wellbeing and people are being encouraged to find something that moves both their body and mind.
Exercise has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression, and it can also help prevent physical illnesses. People living with mental ill health die on average 20 years younger than the general population, often from avoidable physical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, bowel cancer and breast cancer.
Research by Mental Health UK shows that 56 per cent of people find that exercising regularly helps them to alleviate stress and prevent burnout.
With this in mind, we’re looking back at how Cumbrians have kept fit over the years. Our main picture is of a health and fitness week at St Margaret Mary’s School, Carlisle, where children had fun on a bouncy castle.
Above are more children taking part in fitness activities at the city’s Pennine Way Primary School.
Fitness has often been deployed for good causes and, in 2016, iCan Health and Fitness on Corporation Road in Carlisle held a coffee morning for Macmillan Cancer Support. Pictured are participants Christine Munro, right, Jo Clifford, left, and Julia Clifford.
Also shown are those taking part in a warm up with Moky Fit for a colour run at Muncaster Castle in aid of West Cumbria Hospice at Home.
A fitness challenge in Whitehaven saw those including Zoe Winter, pictured, give their all to raise funds for Calderwood House, while Craig Bell was content to sit back and relax for a massage from Mandy McGee of All Round Fitness. It was offered as part of a health and wellbeing day in Workington Town Centre.
Barrow Bootle Fitness ladies Sue Godfrey, left, and Karen Eddy are shown performing a routine to the music of Seafoam Green and a member of Cheer Fitness and Fun leaps in the air at Whitehaven Carnival.
In our final image, Jack Abertelli flexes his guns after a mini workout with mum Nina, right, and fellow NCL fitness instructor Stacey Morton at Parton Village Fun Day.
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