Every year on October 10th people everywhere come together to celebrate World Mental Health Day (WMHD) to highlight the fact that mental health matters and talking about it can make life better for all of us. This year, the chosen theme is ‘workplace mental health’ – through this theme, we can address the importance of wellbeing at work and remind us to check in on our colleagues.

ASICS, or ‘anima sana in corpore sano’ (sound body, sound mind), prides itself on being a caregiver brand and lives up to its name by raising awareness of the benefits staying active can have on mental health and wellbeing. Having teamed up with mental health charity, Mind, back in 2021, ASICS continues on its mission with the #DeskBreak challenge and the ‘15 Minute Weight Loss’ hijack campaign.

To raise awareness around WMHD this year, we teamed up with ASICS, walking group Common Ground and Peaks and Pubs to organise a wellness walk around Manchester and its famed canals. You probably know by now that walking is good for us, but did you know that by simply taking a walk you can help ease the symptoms of chronic conditions like anxiety and depression? It can also help improve sleep, relieve stress, increase energy and improve heart health – plus, it’s free!

We set off from the Northern Quarter, meeting by one of our positivity billboards to start things off on the right note. According to the Mental Health Foundation, physical activity can have a big impact on our wellbeing, even 10 minutes of brisk walking increases mental alertness, energy and mood. So, we opted for an urban route for our walk to show you don’t have to travel far and wide to get your steps in, passing the serene sights of the canal, skyscraper silhouettes and plenty of dogs. 

After enjoying the sunlight New Islington Marina with its array of colourful narrowboats, our 5km drew to a close and we closed the show at Ancoats institution, Just Between Friends, for a coffee and a chat. Name a better way to start the weekend…

Your mental health is important, if you’re ever struggling and need more information visit Mind here, a mental health charity ASICS has worked with since 2021.