Over 4 million steps for wellbeing 

10 Oct 2023

The staff of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland have walked over 4 million steps in September in the build up to World Mental Health Day 2023.
The challenge, which saw £2 raised for each kilometre walked, will help establish a new fund to support and enhance wellbeing initiatives in local community and voluntary organisations.

Speaking on World Mental Health Day, Fiona O’Toole, the Community Foundation’s Wellbeing lead said:  

“Building up to World Mental Health Day the staff of the Community Foundation wanted to play a part in boosting, not only the Foundation’s staff team’s wellbeing but also that of organisations that we have supported, and continue to support, through our grant giving.

“The idea came about to establish a new, dedicated Wellbeing Fund, in order to be able to develop small grants for local organisations to support their own staff’s wellbeing in areas such as positive mental, physical and emotional health.

“Through working closely with thousands of these organisations one thing we realised is that the staff are excellent in providing much needed services for others, but on too many occasions they do not prioritise their own needs.

“Time, resources, or the specific nature of some grants just didn’t allow these groups to work on their own wellbeing. The Community Foundation, as Northern Ireland’s largest independent funder, aims to help address this in whatever way we can.

“Over the month of September our staff have walked over 4 million steps which is truly impressive. This will not only aid their own physical and mental well-being but is a fantastic start to helping the Community Foundation establish this brand new fund which we will be launching the details of in the coming weeks.”