Celebrities part with shoes for today’s mental health walk in Cookstown

Pamela Ballantine, Stuart Dallas, Peter Canavan, Mickey Hart, Olivia Nash and Gerry Kelly are some of those who donated fancy footwear to the ‘Walk a Mile in My Shoes’ sponsored walk for World Mental Health Day.

Cookstown dynamo Carol is asking people across Mid Ulster to join her for the October 10 walk and day of events aimed at raising money for the community centre as well as trying to break the stigma surrounding mental health.

The brave community worker also revealed she suffers from depression and that she has “no shame in telling it”.

“If I can cope and manage my depression, so can you,” she said. “I love the saying ‘don’t judge me til you walk a mile in my shoes’ - So we are doing a mile walk around Cookstown and we’re inviting people to come along.”

As well as the sponsored walk, for which forms area available from the Hub, the days events will also see 10 shop windows decorated with mental health themed art.

Four tents will host drama productions, storytelling, music, free complimentary therapies such as massage and reflexology and information from a number of mental health charities.

With one in four people suffering mental health issues, Carol said it is important the subject is treated with dignity, people know they aren’t alone and don’t have to suffer in silence.