Whilst we've been focussing on National Walking Month for much of our internal communications so far throughout May, we mustn't forget that this week is one of the most important weeks in the wellbeing calendar - Mental Health Awareness Week. But why not link the two? Taking a walk, particular in nature or local green space has been proven to boost both mental and physical wellbeing.

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Whilst it's great to head out for a walk in your lunchbreak or even before work, the theme of this years Mental Health Awareness Week is loneliness. Loneliness is something that affects one in four adults in the UK and the longer someone feels lonely, the more at risk they are of poor mental health. So this is the perfect time to develop a new routine of taking a regular walk with a friend or family member, who may otherwise be on their own - they're sure to appreciate the gesture.

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If you're feeling lonely yourself, many walking groups have set up wellbeing walks this week to mark mental health awareness week, so there's bound to be something happening in your area over the next few days - it's worth a look.

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And remember, tackling loneliness, whether that's your own or someone else's is not just for this week, but you can use this week as a boost to help you start a new club, hobby or activity.

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If you do head out for some wellbeing walks, we'd love to see your photos. You can either post them on Lifeworks or send them to myself or Rosie Urry to include on our @lifeatthrivetribe instagram page.

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You can find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week here.

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