Mental Health Awareness Week begins on Monday

Mental Health Awareness Week begins on Monday

MEDIA ADVISORY

Friday 7 October

Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) begins on Monday. Throughout New Zealand, more than 150 events and activities will be held in celebration.

Organised by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand (MHF), the MHAW theme for 2016 is Connect with nature for good mental health and wellbeing. Research has demonstrated that spending time in nature improves physical and mental health, makes us happier, reduces feelings of depression, anxiety and stress and makes our lives more meaningful.

See the MHAW calendar for events in your area, from fun runs in Northland to art exhibitions in Southland.

Workplaces, schools and communities all around New Zealand are taking part in the first-ever MHAW Lockout on World Mental Health Day –Monday 10 October.

From 12pm – 1pm, thousands of Kiwis will head outside and discover how happiness and wellbeing blooms when we start to connect with the nature that surrounds us every day.

There are already thousands of entries to the MHAW Photo a Day Challenge on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – search #MHAWNZ to view the photos. The MHF couldn’t be happier to see that the challenge is inspiring people to go outside and reconnect with the nature they live and work amongst every day.

For more information about MHAW see www.mhaw.nz

ENDS

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