Mental health staff to walk wall for football team

Staff from the Carleton Clinic and West Cumberland hospital aim to complete the walk in three days

A group of NHS workers are planning to walk the length of Hadrian's Wall to raise money for a mental health football team.

Staff at the Carleton Clinic in Carlisle and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven will aim to walk 84 miles (135km) in aid of the group run by the Carlisle United Community Sports Trust.

The pharmacy team, although unable to leave the site to join the walk in person, are setting up a treadmill in their office to lend their virtual support.

Hannah Lund, clinical manager at the Carleton Clinic, said: "When people are unwell or on the road to recovery, it’s so important for them to have meaningful, welcoming activities like this football group to go to."

She said: "Physical activity has such a great benefit for your overall wellbeing – it helps keep not just your body healthy, but your mind as well.

"And the social side helps people’s wellbeing, too. They can go along and meet other people who can understand what they’re going through, and build up that network in their local community."

Staff from six wards will be walking different sections of Hadrian's Wall

Staff from six wards across the two hospitals and the teams who support them – including estates staff, receptionists and senior managers – will be walking sections of Hadrian’s Wall.

They will set off on 15 May and hope to complete the full length in three days.

Aaron Vaughn, inpatient matron at the Carleton Clinic, said lots of staff had wanted to join in.

"It’s a fantastic opportunity for a whole range of staff to get together and do something to boost their own wellbeing, as well as supporting the football group," he said.

The football group is supported by SHINE fund - part of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).

All money raised by this walk will go to the football group as a donation from SHINE, in recognition of the help it offers to people the trust supports.