Welcome to May's This Girl Can Newsletter.
We hope you are all doing very well. Summer is on it's way, the days are getting (slightly) warmer and its been great to see local leisure facilities slowly start
to welcome people back into gyms, pools and classes across the county. We understand everyone is feeling differently about returning to "normal" but we hope that
you are enjoying being able to meet up with friends and family outside or even get back to local sport and exercise.
We have a jam packed edition for you this month!
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, so in light of this, we will be sharing stories from some of our very own This Girl Can Ambassadors
about their own experiences of mental health. We also have an article written by Suffolk Mind, plus details of new opportunities coming up over the summer months.
We hope you enjoy reading!
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10 - 16 May 2021 - Mental Health Awareness Week
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The Mental Health Foundation are hosting this years Mental Health Awareness Week where the theme is 'nature'
The three aims for this week are to support us to Experience nature, Share nature and Talk about nature - what better way
to achieve those aims then by getting out to be active!
During the last year, the research carried out by the Mental Health Foundation have showed going for walks outside was one of the top coping
strategies, where 45% of us reported being in green spaces had been vital for our mental health. We know that getting out in nature is not only good for our mental
health, but physical health too. Studies show that as few as 15 minutes spent in nature can slow your heartrate, decrease your blood pressure and lower the levels of
cortisol (a stress hormone) in your brain.
Check out stories from some of our local This Girl Can ambassadors to see how movement, exercise and nature has supported them to improve their own
mental health and wellbeing over the years.
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Sue Tetley, has kindly shared her story about her personal journey with infertility, physical activity and mental health.
"My relationship with sport and exercise has been rather mixed throughout my life. I was never particularly sporty as a child but I enjoyed sprinting and doing the
long jump but I went to school in the 80's to mid 90's and still remember very clearly waiting to be picked for teams. I was generally picked somewhere in the
middle or towards the end. Never a good thing for a child's self-esteem.
As a teenager, I really got into racket sports, badminton initially then squash. I had a few friends who were at a similar level and would enjoy playing weekly. At
the age of 18 I went to Loughborough University to study psychology. I was aware this was a very sporty university, but that wasn't really a consideration when I
went there. The level of even the inter-mural hall sports was very high. It did put me off trying much sport there. I chose to do karate as it was something I
could start with as a beginner and work up the grades. I enjoyed this and did it for a few years. Twenty odd years on, I wish I had made more of the available
facilities.
Following university, I started to dabble in running and did my first race for life. Prior to that, I don't think I'd ever run 5km before. A few years later, I did
my first half marathon in Nottingham where I was living at the time. This was a huge achievement for me. It was great that lots of my friends did the event as
well. Throughout my 20's and 30's I was always rather inconsistent with exercise, training for an event and then not doing much afterwards. I was definitely a 'Yo
Yo' exerciser.
In my mid 30's exercise exercise took on a different and more cathartic role and really helped me with my mental well-being as well as physical well-being whilst
going through multiple rounds of IVF. After each failed attempt, I would enter a running event or cycling event which helped me to cope. After I had decided to
stop the IVF treatment and choose to adopt instead, I threw myself into a more consistent pattern of exercise.
Around 4 years ago a friend of mine spent about 6 months trying to persuade me to join the local triathlon club. Initially I thought I wasn't good enough at any of
the disciplines, however, soon realised that this didn't matter at all. I was getting injured just running. I started PT sessions and soon realised I needed to do
loads more strength and conditioning to prevent injury. Joining TRISudbury was a real turning point for me. I had never been part of a club before and had always
exercised on my own. I really started to enjoy training with groups and have made some great friends.
I have now done many triathlons and taken on new challenges each year. I also discovered my love of swimming in open water and last summer did a 2 mile swim in the
Serpentine. I really love challenging myself. I'm never going to be the fastest, however, I am mentally tough and won't give up on my goals. My next challenge will
be a half ironman distance triathlon. In addition to this, I also became the Welfare Officer for the club for 2 years. I am now one of the club's Mental Health
Champions. At the AGM earlier this year, I was delighted this year to be given the female Grindstone award and became a This Girl Can Ambassador for Suffolk as
well.
I am nearly 43 and I totally believe that if you work hard and never give up on your goals you can achieve anything. It's so important to me to be a good role
model for my little girl. For me, physical activity has boosted my self-esteem, self confidence and self-belief. It has allowed me to take control and be able to
cope with uncertainty better by clearing my head and putting things into perspective. It has allowed me the ability to challenge myself and step out of my comfort
zone.
I am fitter now than I ever have been and would say to anyone to never let anyone tell you that you cannot achieve something!"
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Charlotte Ditchburn is a local Public Rights of Way Explorer as well as a This Girl Can ambassador. As part of the Mental health Awareness Week, she speaks
of how getting out into nature can help your mental health and provides top tips in her latest blog.
"The importance of connecting with nature has been highlighted by the recent coronavirus pandemic over the last year and a bit. Natural England have been
completing studies about the populations access to nature. Their report People and Nature Survey: How are we connecting with nature during the coronavirus
pandemic? has been undertaken to establish official statistics which seeks to understand the role of nature in the nation's health and wellbeing. During the
pandemic many more people have been seeking contact with nature during this period, whether that's in our back gardens, in local green spaces as part of
our daily exercise, or from our windows only."
Read Charlottes full blog by clicking HERE
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Of course, getting out into nature to be active is not exclusive to green spaces!
Many of our local This Girl Can ambassadors have discovered a love for 'blue spaces' over the last year and just like our local 'green spaces'
getting into the water can really improve our mental health and wellbeing too!
Local This Girl Can Ambassador, Natasha Sones found a love for wild swimming during the lockdown and has since launched a supportive community of beginners at
Shingle Street in Suffolk. This is in addition to the group that was set up shortly before by our This Girl Can Ambassador Angela in Deben.
Click the links below to join the Facebook groups where you can meet like minded women, find out more about wild swimming and get involved
The Shingle Street Bluetits
The Deben Bluetit Dippers
Not convinced? Click here to check out This Girl Can
Ambassador Charlotte's blog on how blue spaces have helped her to de-stress.
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5 ways exercise can improve mental health
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Suffolk Mind is the leading mental health charity for the county offering support and advice for anyone experiencing poor mental health. As partners, they
have shared 5 reasons physical activity improves mental health to help us mark Mental Health Awareness Week.
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Whenever we do exercise, our bodies release endorphins to reward us. Endorphins are the body's pleasure chemicals, making us feel good, encouraging us to keep
exercising. For most people, doing thirty minutes of exercise a few times a week is enough to significantly improve mood.
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Research shows that regular exercise can be just as effective as medication at lifting depression and reducing anxiety.
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Movement helps to reduce high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. In small amounts, cortisol is useful to gently alert the cells in our body and brain, and
activate our defences against injuries and infections. However, if our emotional needs are poorly met, the increased levels of stress cause more cortisol to be
released. High levels of cortisol can damage brain cells and cause physical inflammation. It can also inhibit the immune system, making us more vulnerable to
bugs and viruses.
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If stress goes unaddressed it can trigger a number of physical conditions such as high-blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel
syndrome, skin conditions including eczema, and alopecia, and heart conditions. Low intensity exercise, such as going for a brisk walk, reduces cortisol levels.
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Research shows that if we spend too much time at a desk, or on the sofa, without regular breaks to get up and move about, we are at increased risk of depression.
If we don't use the brain, we lose the brain.
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Something else we are celebrating this month is walking!
For many, walking has become second nature during lockdown and Living Streets, the organisation behind the National Walking Month have found that in the last year,
people across the country have enjoyed walking as a way to:
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Stay physically active
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Improve mental health
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Connecting with friends or family in a safe way
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Discover new places locally
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Save money!
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Victoria Proctor presents the Eco Show on the Rendlesham Community Radio in Suffolk and is very fond of walking, the way it can positively impact our
environment and it's benefits. Check out her blog below to find out more...
Suffolk doesn't have mountain ranges to be scaled but nearby we do have some of the most beautiful scapes of land and sea in the UK, recently celebrated on Kate
Humble's Coastal Britain on Channel 5. You'll always be able to find new places to explore, not least because the coast is a changing one.
I asked on social media a while ago for Rendlesham's favourite walking routes and what a response I had! They ranged from cross country yomps to a stroll around
the block highlighting that 'going for a walk' means something different to everyone. In Rendlesham some of these favourite walks are around 'the base' perimeter,
towards the forest and heading into the very pretty 'Old Rendlesham'. Many people walk through the village alone, with a friend (of both the 2 and 4 legged
variety) and I can certainly testify that you have to do a lot of walking to cover every alley and passage. This is the beauty of walking, it is for everyone, or
at least it should be.
Walking somewhere unfamiliar can be daunting, as can walking after experiencing health problems. It is in everyone's interest to have plenty of people about to
reassure you, whether that's walking together or at least the knowledge that someone won't be far behind. As we all venture out more with the easing of lockdown
and the warmer weather as a community we can support each other to walk safely. With this aim the Climate Emergency Working Group are working with the Planning
Committee to produce a map available to all residents. This will feature existing footpaths, point you in the direction of tried and tested routes and feature
historical and cultural information about some points of interest. We hope that this will encourage as many of you as possible to feel confident walking in and
around Rendlesham.
One of the most valuable things about walking I believe is the creation of an attachment and a relationship with the place under your feet. You notice the tiny
changes that anyone else would miss and you treasure the space and freedom you have to do so. This is how we protect and enhance the environment locally. It's
understandable that if people don't have personal experience of a place they value it less but if we all hold our village in the highest regard due to the hours
we've spent walking it and thinking, feeling, evolving in it then it is protected and cared for. Access to outdoor spaces to walk is truly a privilege not to be
taken for granted.
That said, should we be able to amble wherever our heart desires? Since the dawn of civilization there has always been this debate over the 'right to roam'.
Private property butting against public footpaths, throw in some farm land and it becomes a very complex issue. There is a very keen sector of society that
dedicate time to finding and re-establishing public places to walk that have conveniently lost signage and become over grown. On the other hand I've seen fields of
crops trampled and ruined by walkers not sticking to the paths or where the paths become treacherous. Similarly if you aren't careful you may easily disturb ground
nesting birds, leverets, and other wildlife which in a biodiversity crisis we all need to be protecting. Knowledge about what lives among is in the natural world,
what rare native wildflowers we absolutely shouldn't stomp all over, what migrants return to specific places year on year, which part of a stream is home to a
fragile population of a water mammal, all come from the experience we gain from walking. This experience creates respect and means that we can be out and about in
nature without doing harm.
I've mainly been discussing walking for leisure but of cause, deciding to walk or cycle rather than drive somewhere has huge benefits for local air pollution and
reducing your carbon contributions. Whatever reason you are walking for there is one more benefit, it demonstrates the need for the space to do so. Safe, traffic
free areas are on the decline so by putting one foot in front of another out of doors you are already doing your bit to reclaim some of this space. A demand for
places to walk and appropriate routes influences local authorities to ensure these are available and safe so
It's a beautiful thing when connecting with and protecting our environment also benefits your health…
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Opportunities for outdoor physical activity and walking in Suffolk...
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Run Talk Run & Walk Talk Walk
Run Talk Run (RTR) is a peer support community that increases accessibility to support through the use of movement. Their weekly
meetups are facilitated in 100+ locations across the UK to make movement and mental health support less intimidating.
The Founder of RTR, Jess Robson, was driven by her ongoing journey with depression and bulimia to create this space. Having experienced a sensation of her thoughts
and emotions being incommunicable in a professional therapy setting, she set about designing a group that would normalise the conversation on mental health in a less
formal environment. The support groups act as an alternative option for those who might see therapy as being either inaccessible or unfavourable.
Over a gentle 5km jog, participants can talk about the good days, the bad days, and everything in between. There is no need to be "fast enough" or "chatty enough"...
everyone can come exactly as they are, and the group will run as slow as the slowest runner. (Yes, walking is allowed too!).
Running and walking is a beautiful "equaliser", and puts everyone in the support group on the same page. Acting "as one" with the same intent and being somewhat
distracted by the task at hand, participants are able to lower their inhibitions just enough to be able to chat a little more freely about their experiences with
mental ill health – be that direct, or indirect experience.
Rather excitingly, Run Talk Run has just launched the 'Walk Talk Walk' version of their support groups too, all led by volunteers in their hometowns.
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Health Walks with OneLife Suffolk
OneLife Suffolk offer over 200 free, volunteer-led Health Walks across all of Suffolk. In addition to their organised walks, you can also join their Facebook page
where you can share your favourite walks in Suffolk, meet like minded people, improve motivation and discover new places to walk based on other people's suggestions!
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Fancy a challenge this summer?
Active Suffolk are celebrating their 25th year with the We Are...
campaign. The campaign is celebrating the staff, partners and those across the county who are moving more!
This summer the birthday celebrations will conclude with a physical activity challenge suitable for all. No matter your age, ability or background.
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Mental Health Mates in Ipswich
Mental Health Mates is a group walk focusing on mental health. Currently in Suffolk there is an organised walk in Ipswich with the next due to meet this Saturday
15th May.
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Our Park - FREE outdoor activity in Suffolk
Outdoor, Family Exercise classes such as HIIT, Bootcamp and Full Body workout classes to run weekly for local residents in:
Britten Field, Lowestoft NR33 9BP
Normanston Park, Lowestoft NR32 2QB
Leiston Recreation Ground, Leiston, Park Hill, Leiston IP16 4XD
King George's Park, Leiston
The Stevenson Centre, Stevenson Approach, Great Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 0WD
Stowmarket Recreation Ground, Park Road IP14 3JT
Maple Park, Ipswich IP1 2LY
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Move More Outdoor with Abbeycroft Leisure
A 31-WEEK PROGRAMME OF FREE, COVID SAFE ACTIVITY CLASSES TO SUPPORT YOU TO MOVE MORE AND FEEL GREAT!
Activity classes on your doorstep for the Oakes Road Park community including community walks and bootcamps.
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The Great East Swim
Entries are open for the John West Great East Swim, which will take place on Saturday 19 June at Alton Water in Suffolk.
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News
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OneLife Suffolk is seeking community-minded sports coaches who can help Suffolk residents with long-term health conditions... Read More
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The Active Suffolk Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Gareth Davies as Active Suffolk's new Partnership Director.... Read More »
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The latest Active Lives data released by Sport England today, show adults in Suffolk to be more active than the national... Read More »
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St Elizabeth Hospice is calling on supporters to join its new virtual challenge, Steps of a Nurse, to raise funds for the... Read More »
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Active Suffolk is pleased to announce that their Active Wellbeing Service will be available to residents in the South Rural... Read More »
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