NHS staff walking length of Hadrian’s Wall to raise funds for community mental health football group

The football group is run by the Carlisle United Community Sports Trust, supported by SHINE fund part of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW). The SHINE fund helps to provide those extra things that make a huge difference to patients using CNTW’s services. All money raised by this walk will go to the football group as a donation from SHINE, in recognition of the support it offers to people the Trust supports.

NHS staff have seen first hand the difference it makes to patients and are determined to future proof the group by fundraising.

Hannah Lund, Clinical Manager at the Carleton Clinic, has been busy with preparations organising the fundraising walk.

She explained: “A lot of the people who we support attend this group, so we know first-hand what a difference it makes. 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.

“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.

“We hope that we can contribute a significant amount to the group’s fundraising efforts, and make sure its future is secure for this year and beyond.”

The group are asking for donations to support their fundraising. A wide range of staff from six wards (at the Carleton Clinic in Carlisle, and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven), and the teams who support them – including domestics, estates staff, allied health professionals, receptionists, administrators, and senior managers – will be walking sections of Hadrian’s Wall. They are hoping to complete the full length in three days.

(The Pharmacy team, although unable to leave the site to join the walk in person, are even setting up a treadmill in their office to lend their virtual support!)

The staff all work on wards which provide assessment, support and treatment for people with dementia, mental health problems, and learning disabilities across North Cumbria.

Aaron Vaughn, Inpatient Matron at the Carleton Clinic in Carlisle, who has been assisting with organising the walk, said: “So many staff have 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.

“We hope we can carry on bringing teams together and doing loads more fundraising activities for the SHINE fund, which has such an impact on the wellbeing of people we support.”

The group will set out on 15 May, with six different groups walking the length of the wall in half-day stages over three days. Staff from Ruskin ward will start off bright and early at 8am from Wallsend on 15 May, with the Edenwood ward team covering the last leg from Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway on the afternoon of 17 May.

Donate to support the sponsored walk here.