Tuesday 18 October 2016
World Mental Health Day walk
... we actually walked on Thursday 13th, however, we were worldly & striving to optimise our mental health - together!
We were few, just 7 walkers & 2 supporters, as a number of members dropped out last minute due to family caring responsibilities. It started a dreich day, but as we left Cannock Leisure Centre & crossed the golf course a breeze cleared & the sun came out & everyone cheered.
It was muddy & sucky underfoot as we trolled through Cavan's Wood, not helped by a brambly undergrowth that has thickly developed in the last couple of years as the wood is less used. Paths were blocked & skin got scratched... we even had to backtrack, which got Terry all grumpy! Never especially difficult mind...
Enjoying the fantastic western views across Huntington, many miles to the Wrekin & Wenlock Edge - did Jason's death-defying (he got dizzy & almost fell) panoramic photo come out well? - we got to the telecom tower. But, no Rob or Linda, who were to meet us for the next leg. Turns out they'd set off early, got to Marquis Drive Visitor Centre, & rang to let us know as they scarfed down bacon butties!
In a fine addition to our endeavours, Gill & Ade had 'offered themselves' (is that right Ade?) as a mobile support team; Gill providing warmth, tea, & scran in a well-appointed but dinky mobile shed (not big enough to call mobile home); Ade being an historically knowledgeable taxi service.
The wind picked up as we walked through the remains of Brindley Village & down the Valley. It's an interesting corner of Cannock Chase, the western edge of the Fives colliery & a Great War military hospital site that, in 1924, devolved to West Cannock Colliery Company who upgraded the huts for use by miners & their families. Brindley Village was a thriving community for some 30 years, having it's own shop, school, club, even 'cinema'. Many folk from the village worked at RAF Hednesford, which provided basic training to many thousands of National Servicemen up to 1955.
The weather continued to grey & blow & chill; Rhys, seemingly dressed for a summer social & recently back from Cyprus, did well to avoid hypothermia, so we took to the woods for the last mile or so. In the Visitor Centre carpark, we found an enclave of warm & wonderful - the pervasive scent of cooking bacon, the clink of a teacup... smiles returned to the faces of the intrepid five (especially Neil, who love the bacon!)
We'd had the best of the day; enjoyed a good stretch of the legs; been warmly hosted with tea & well-earned bacon sarnies; could look forward to being taxied back to civilisation... it is most important we do not lose sight of the ideas that drive WMHD 2016:
We were few, just 7 walkers & 2 supporters, as a number of members dropped out last minute due to family caring responsibilities. It started a dreich day, but as we left Cannock Leisure Centre & crossed the golf course a breeze cleared & the sun came out & everyone cheered.It was muddy & sucky underfoot as we trolled through Cavan's Wood, not helped by a brambly undergrowth that has thickly developed in the last couple of years as the wood is less used. Paths were blocked & skin got scratched... we even had to backtrack, which got Terry all grumpy! Never especially difficult mind...
Enjoying the fantastic western views across Huntington, many miles to the Wrekin & Wenlock Edge - did Jason's death-defying (he got dizzy & almost fell) panoramic photo come out well? - we got to the telecom tower. But, no Rob or Linda, who were to meet us for the next leg. Turns out they'd set off early, got to Marquis Drive Visitor Centre, & rang to let us know as they scarfed down bacon butties!
In a fine addition to our endeavours, Gill & Ade had 'offered themselves' (is that right Ade?) as a mobile support team; Gill providing warmth, tea, & scran in a well-appointed but dinky mobile shed (not big enough to call mobile home); Ade being an historically knowledgeable taxi service.
The wind picked up as we walked through the remains of Brindley Village & down the Valley. It's an interesting corner of Cannock Chase, the western edge of the Fives colliery & a Great War military hospital site that, in 1924, devolved to West Cannock Colliery Company who upgraded the huts for use by miners & their families. Brindley Village was a thriving community for some 30 years, having it's own shop, school, club, even 'cinema'. Many folk from the village worked at RAF Hednesford, which provided basic training to many thousands of National Servicemen up to 1955. 
The weather continued to grey & blow & chill; Rhys, seemingly dressed for a summer social & recently back from Cyprus, did well to avoid hypothermia, so we took to the woods for the last mile or so. In the Visitor Centre carpark, we found an enclave of warm & wonderful - the pervasive scent of cooking bacon, the clink of a teacup... smiles returned to the faces of the intrepid five (especially Neil, who love the bacon!)We'd had the best of the day; enjoyed a good stretch of the legs; been warmly hosted with tea & well-earned bacon sarnies; could look forward to being taxied back to civilisation... it is most important we do not lose sight of the ideas that drive WMHD 2016:
Dignity in Mental Health - Psychological & Mental Health First Aid For All
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