Yahoo Lifestyle Bristol walk and talk group grows to 1,000 members
A walk and talk group in Bristol set up to support people with their mental health is celebrating its sixth anniversary.
Mental Health Mates Bristol, which is part of a national organisation, helps people talk through issues while also connecting with nature in and around the city.
Since it was created by Rachel Rayner in 2019 it has grown to more than 1,000 members. An anniversary walk is taking place on Sunday.
She said: "We've got students in the city who need to make new friends, we've got people living by themselves. We want people to connect with nature and with each other."
Ms Rayner said between 10 and 15 people show up for every walk.
She told BBC Radio Bristol: "After Covid I feel everybody pulled back into themselves and back into their homes."
Ms Rayner said: "There's still a lot of mental health groups which are on Zoom, which I think is extraordinary.
"We're well past Covid, we need to get out and connecting."
Nationally, Mental Health Mates was started by journalist Bryony Gordon in 2016 after she invited strangers to join her in Hyde Park to walk and talk "without fear or judgement" and 20 people turned up.
Seven years later and the organisation now has more than 150 groups across the UK.
Ms Rayner said: "It's very different to other mental health groups because it's more of a community, more of a family.
"We get together, you can talk about anything whether you're suffering from depression or feeling isolated.
"Or if you've done some amazing sewing at home or you've grown something amazing in your garden.
"You can talk about anything. That's the brilliant thing about it."
The anniversary walk starts at 14:00 GMT on the Downs.
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