For most, January is a quiet and uneventful month. Yes, it’s the start of the New Year, but we have just left the festive Christmas period behind, and it can be quite gloomy for some. To combat the depressing effects of the wintery month, teams from across the UK and Ireland, have come together to undertake the #Run1000 Battle of the Nations challenge: to run or walk as far as they can in the month of January to not just raise funds for a chosen mental health charity, but most importantly to raise awareness of the effects of mental health within rural communities.
This year the challenge has travelled across the globe, and was joined by a team in New Zealand to help spread their message to all corners of the world. This is the second year that I have personally taken part in the challenge, and I have been honored to be a member of team Wales in this journey. Although I didn’t quite manage to achieve the target that I set at the start of the month, to match last year’s total of 106 miles, I did get to 92 miles and feel all the better for it. But in the grand scheme of things, the challenge has managed to raise over £15,000 and bring together over 700 participants from rural communities.
The last couple of years have been a struggle for all, and these events are a catalyst to get people talking from all communities and help tackle the loneliness of many rural people. My suggestion would be to get involved, take on these challenges and most importantly, enjoy yourself in the process.
Niall Evans
Rural Youth Europe Vice Chairman