OUTDOOR activities have take place in Guisborough with the aim of highlighting the need to focus on mental health.

The activities came shortly after Guisborough Town Pride secured funding from Redcar and Cleveland Council to buy plants for the garden at the junction of Wilton Lane and Park Lane as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Claire Bognar, the council's community development officer for Belmont, Guisborough, Hutton and Lockwood, and and Pam Rayment from the Town Pride group, weeded and replanted the Memorial Garden area in New Road, outside the Kemplah House Care Home.

Similar projects have been carried out across East Cleveland. Ms Bognar said: “This was one of five different projects across the wards that I cover that’s been funded. We’ve got activity going on in Moorsholm and also supported a scheme for Highcliff Primary School (Guisborough) so the kids are also getting involved, planting some seedlings that they wanted. Mental health affects all ages in all areas, so I think that it is really good to get the kids involved.”

She added: “There was also some activity in Lingdale with Lingdale Lift Off, planting some bulbs. Obviously, the activities themselves have been a little bit spread out and it depends on the type of the plants that the volunteers have identified.”

Redcar and Cleveland Council has promoted other activities which were planned around Mental Health Awareness Week, including a number of pop-up "art in your park" sessions, cycle rides and guided walks based around the theme of "bounce back with nature" and highlighting MIND's five ways to wellbeing to promote ideas and activities connected with nature to improve wellbeing and promote positive mental health.

Ms Bognar added: “There’s been lots of activities that went on for Mental Awareness Week. Obvious this year’s theme has been around the environment and outdoors and nature and how that can improve your mental health. I’m trying to encourage people to participate in more outdoor activities. Obviously Guisborough Town Pride are one of the key players in Guisborough in terms of looking after our outdoor spaces so it’s good to come along and support Pam (Rayment).”