Referral Scheme

We offer practical instruction in mindful, efficient running technique to people who may be experiencing difficulties with their mental wellbeing. The role of exercise and access to green spaces have been recognised to play an important role in maintaining both physical and mental health, with increasing interest stemming from the need to reduce the burden on the public healthcare system. Although exercise and outdoor activities are not stand-alone solutions, we believe there is room for them to be incorporated into individual healthcare plans as part of a person-centred approach.

Poor mental health disproportionately affects people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds which is why we want our service to be free at the point of use. In order for us to remain a financially sustainable company, we have to limit places on the scheme to those individuals that have been referred to us by their healthcare professional. We are funded by pay-to-participate activities, grants, and fundraising initiatives.

The programme comprises eight, three-hour sessions delivered on a weekly basis over an eight-week period. The sessions are suitable for all abilities, and will focus on techniques that make running relatively easy. Our background is distance running which is very much centred around efficient movement and endurance rather than speed and power; tapping into those aerobic systems. The only end-goal is to enable our participants to have the skills and confidence to safely experience some of the wonderful and rugged natural terrain out there, and have access to one of the most powerful coping mechanisms available.

The sessions aim to be fun and informative, with instruction on topics like basic navigation and map reading, weather patterns, what to take with you, and what to do in an emergency. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and we want the emphasis to be on play rather than exercise. We also draw from our lived experiences, and have structured the sessions around our own misgivings around group activities (that urge to bolt out of the nearest exit when a group facilitator mentions starting the session with an ‘ice-breaker’!)

One final point: we do take referrals for walking/hiking sessions. Rather than this being a block of sessions, they will continue on a regular basis. As with the running programme, these will be free.

If you are a healthcare provider interested in referring a patient/client, please email us at info@headsfortrails.org.uk and we will happily send you an information pack.

If you feel you would benefit from a referral to either our running programme or our walking/hiking sessions, please direct your healthcare provider to our website and ask them to request an information pack.