Ghosts, witches, and zombies, oh my! It’s almost that time of the year to carve jack-o-lanterns and to go out for trick-or-treat, but do you know how Halloween started? It originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a pagan religious festival celebrated “to welcome in the harvest and usher in the dark half of the year.” During this time, people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off spirits. The celebration of Halloween has gotten more festive since then with costume parties and group horror movie marathons left and right. While monsters and ghouls may be scary, there is another scarier issue that’s rising quickly worldwide – mental health problems.

Globally, 1 in 8 people live with a mental health disorder. As the number of people suffering from mental health problems continues to rise, these people barely get the support and treatment they need. Mind is a charity in England that provides much-needed support to folks struggling with their mental health. They also have public campaigns and information drives to clear the stigma around mental health problems. This October 28, Mind will be having Halloween Walk 2023, a spooky stroll around London, to raise funds for their different programs.

Get your bravest team together, or go it alone if you dare, and meet up with other challengers to take on the historic haunts of London.

With full and half marathon distances available, there’s a challenge here for everyone. With a start and finish at the Oval Dungeon, come dressed to distress to take part in this hair-raising hike around London.

There are ghostly looped routes combined with zombie rest stops. And if you manage to get back in one piece, there’s a macabre medal, a glass of the Devil’s fizz – and a souvenir bobble hat to ward off the spirits as you head off.

This event is strictly walking only, so no jogging or running is allowed.

There are 3 options for signing up and fundraising.

Stephen King once said, “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” Having a mental health problem can be scary and alienating especially if the people around you don’t believe you. This Halloween, let’s show support to everyone who’s undergoing mental health issues. Register to join the walk now.