Mind Your Head is preparing for a busy winter following the successful annual fun run, which was held at the weekend. Despite having to cancel the event first time around, the re-scheduled event still attracted well over 400 participants. With registrations at an all time high of 626 this event has been clearly marked on Shetland’s calendar as a success.

The event is one of the ways in which Mind Your Head works to raise awareness of mental health wellbeing. We recently undertook a community survey where we were delighted to learn that the fun run is the event by which we are most well known.

The survey, which was circulated widely in the community in the spring, had a very positive response from the community with over one thousand surveys returned or completed online. Mind Your Head has been busy collating all of the findings into one report. We hope to publish these findings in early November after having presented the findings to the Shetland Mental Health Partnership. Jacqui Clark, Co-ordinator for Mind Your Head explained “We felt it was crucial to take the time to ensure that the survey report fully reflected the excellent feedback we received from the community.” She added, “Following presenting the findings of the survey to our partners we will use the report to progress the work of our organisation.”

Mind Your Head is already planning projects for the winter months to compliment the planned launch of the report. The first is being organised in conjunction with Scottish mental health charity ‘see me’. This national initiative invites local businesses and organisations to sign up to the See Me Work Pledge. Signing such a pledge, and the action plan that accompanies it, means that the organisation makes a public commitment to tackling the stigma experienced by people with mental health problems.

Over 300 organisations across Scotland have pledged to work with ‘see me’ in order to eliminate the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health. Such a commitment will be seen by employees, by customers or users of services and by the wider public. These include private companies, voluntary sector organisations, prisons, housing associations, student associations, health boards, local authorities, football teams, and educational institutions.

A joint public signing is planned for later in the year for all who sign up in Shetland. If your organisation would like more information on how to sign up they are asked to contact Mind Your Head on 01595 745035 or email [email protected]

Further information on future projects will be announced in due course.