Inverness mental health social enterprise plans festive walk
An Inverness mental health social enterprise, is in high-spirits after scooping up a large sum of money at the Scottish Edge Awards, last week.
Clarity Walk, won £20k in the community engagement category which will help fund programmes in schools and mental health first aid courses in work places.
The organisation was founded by Matt Wallace in August 2019 using the methods which helped him recover from depression. These included taking time away from digital devices, spending more time in nature and connecting regularly with others.
It hosts a walk nearly each day of the week, which can be found on its website.
Clarity Walk creates an opportunity for people to walk and talk outside, while having a digital detox.
Since then, he has built up a service that has helped over 8000 people, worked with 12 schools and 250 children. Additionally, the group has collected over 4600litres of rubbish when out on their walks.
Mr Wallace is delighted to have received the award, and says the money will go a long way to supporting people in the Highlands.
He said: "This money is going to do so much to support people's mental wellbeing and the work that we can do in schools, and workplaces.
"We hope to do five-week programmes in schools, and deliver courses in workplaces and charities from January 2023.
"As we are a social enterprise, all this money will be reinvested back into the local community."
Clarity Walk also has a walk lined up around the Ness Islands on Christmas day, so that people can meet with others and spend some time in nature.
"We have ten people signed up for the walk on Christmas day, so far", said Mr Wallace.
"We had 17 people on the walk last year, and only four of them had people to go home to.
"The walk provides an opportunity for connection at one of the hardest times of the year."
Clarity Walk now has two employees, and Mr Wallace has also released his own book called, My Walk to Clarity.
