Walk a mile event with Sir Chris Hoy

1st December 2016

SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) Ambassador Sir Chris Hoy is today (Thursday 1 December) joining 200 staff and service users at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, to lead a Walk a Mile event.

The idea of Walk a Mile is to bring together health professionals, carers and people with lived experience of mental health to walk together in pairs, to get to know each other and walk a mile in each other’s shoes.

Having Sir Chris Hoy walk side by side with people with lived experience at an event with SAMH shows the power of coming together.

Talking is one of the first steps to improving mental health. We simply can’t measure the importance of a conversation supporting someone to recovery and move forward with their life.

Six-times an Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy MBE said:

“It’s great to be at Murrayfield today joining over 200 people to raise awareness of mental health and the importance of talking.

“Talking is one of the first steps to improving mental health. We simply can’t measure the importance of a conversation supporting someone to recovery and move forward with their life.”

Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH said:

“We need to change the culture around mental health so people feel confident enough to talk, without the fear that they will be stigmatised and discriminated against.

“Walk a Mile shows that mental health can be part of everyday conversation and we are delighted to have Sir Chris Hoy join us to lead this walk and start this vital discussion.”

Chris McCullough Young, a former social worker and mental health activist, started the Walk a Mile initiative after walking around the UK speaking to people about his mental health and trying to tackle stigma ‘one conversation at a time.’ Chris said:

“The great thing about Walk a Mile is that everyone is on a level playing field. There are no labels, and everyone taking part gets the chance to see others as they really are.

“Since Walk a Mile started, thousands of people have taken part, and it’s great to see Sir Chris Hoy and so many others getting involved today.”