Walk on wild side to chat openly on mental health
With the pressures on farms, it is an ideal time to take time out with family, after your dinner, and get out to enjoy the forest parks with your community
One conversation at a time: That’s how See Change tackles the stigma associated with mental ill-health. You can be involved by wearing a green ribbon. See Change campaign manager, Kahlil Thompson-Coyle, says: “Wearing the green ribbon during the month of May is a simple way of showing your support for the campaign and leaving the door open for a conversation about mental health.
“You don’t need to be an expert to start talking about mental health, or have all the answers. Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can do is let someone know you are there for them and simply listen. The Green Ribbon campaign is not a fundraiser; ribbons will be free to the public.”
More than 70 voluntary organisations, State agencies, universities and youth groups make up the See Change partnership, and among them are the main rural organisations.
IFA have joined forces with Coillte to provide family-friendly venues for Green Ribbon walks in the forest parks in Wicklow, Galway, Limerick and Cavan.
The Let’s Talk and Walk events will take place every Sunday in May, starting with Avondale House and Forest Park, in Wicklow, on Sunday, May 5.
The other venues are:
* Portumna Forest Park, Co Galway, May 13 (3pm);
* Curraghchase Forest Park, Co Limerick, May 19 (3pm);
* Killykeen Forest Park, Co Cavan, May 26 (3pm).
Margaret Healy chairs IFA’s Farm Family Committee. Let’s Talk and Walk seems an unusual event to encourage people to start a conversation that changes minds about mental health.
The Let’s Talk and Walk events are part of the Green Ribbon campaign, a national campaign during May, organised by See Change to create a recognisable symbol, which is hoped will kick-start a conversation on mental health.
It is hoped, just like the pink ribbon for breast cancer, the green ribbon will become synonymous with mental health.
IFA have joined forces with Coillte and Mental Health Ireland to host four walks in Coillte’s Forest Park, every Sunday during May, to create awareness of the green-ribbon campaign and encourage people to get out and talk about mental health.
No, everyone is welcome to attend the walks and we hope that anyone who lives near one of the Forest Parks in Wicklow, Galway, Limerick or Cavan will join us, and support the walks and the Green Ribbon campaign. These are stressful times for many families, not just farm families, and it is important that we support each other at this time. The Let’s Talk and Walks events have developed as part of IFA’s work with See Change. IFA is a founding partner of the campaign and has been working with See Change to encourage farmers to look after their mental health. The last few weeks, and the shortage of fodder, have added significantly to the pressures on farm families. With the uncertainty in relation to CAP Reform and high input costs, it is really easy to let it get to you. So, it is an ideal time to take some time out with family, after your dinner, and get out to enjoy the forest parks with your community.
I would disagree. The walks will provide an opportunity to enjoy two things inherent in Irish people: nature and talking. It just happens that these two things are also two very effective ways to lessen stress. In the IFA leaflet ‘Let’s Talk – Dealing with Stress’, the first piece of advice to deal with stress is to talk about it. Even if there is nothing you can do to alter your situation, just talking with a trusted friend, family member or neighbour can be very therapeutic. That’s what the Green Ribbon campaign is all about: encouraging people to talk about mental health. You don’t need to be an expert or have all the answers. Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can do is let someone know you are there, and simply listen.
We are delighted to host these walks with Coillte as the forest parks provide an ideal family-friendly venue to get out and enjoy our great forest resource. Walkers will be given Green Ribbons to wear and Mental Health Ireland will be on hand with useful information. Refreshments will be provided after the walks. If the weather is good, we would encourage people to bring picnics and enjoy the forest parks. There will also be a few celebrity supporters of the Green Ribbon campaign on the walks.
