Lets Talk About Mental Health and Wellbeing

Scottish Cycling has launched BikeandBlether, offering mental health support to cycling clubs

We all have mental health!

To borrow another line from the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), ‘it’s as important to look after our mental health as it is our physical'. The significance of that message is further underlined when you consider that according to the Scottish Government, around 1 in 3 of us are estimated to be affected by mental illness in any one year.

Whether it’s broached through snippets of conversation in the office, on a college campus, at the gym, discussion in your local café or in the media, the topic of mental health and wellbeing is undeniably relevant – and affects us all.

Wellbeing Through Cycling

So as a member of Peebles Cycling Club and the founder of Discovery Biking Scotland, I’m proud to be on a journey with Scottish Cycling as one of its ‘champions’ for the rollout of a new mental health pilot project called BikeandBlether.

Working in partnership with SAMH, this exciting project aims to engage cycling clubs throughout Scotland to promote mental well-being through cycling.

Through ‘champions’ providing the opportunity for club cyclists – in my case Peebles Cycling Club – to discuss mental health and wellbeing – the objective is to help to create a positive, mentally healthy and inclusive club environment.

Personally, I feel the programme is a great way to engage cyclists, including the mountain biking community. After all, people of all ages and walks of life do / could share the simple joy of exploring trails surrounded by nature. In my experience, that lovely fresh air and sense of discovery at every exhilarating turn brings a smile to the face. The fun of pedalling in forests, down trails – and even uphill – all engenders a sense of achievement, growing self-confidence and physical and mental wellbeing. It can even elicit that wee thought, "I’ve earned a post-ride coffee and cake"!

So it’s great to already be part of a ‘route map’ of insightful and practical focused mental health sessions delivered by SAMH. Each imparts invaluable advice and is designed to give participants on the programme key tools to help raise awareness of mental health, challenge stigma and when appropriate, to signpost an individual to relevant professional help.

However, I’ll not be a therapist or counsellor and at no time will I or fellow BikeandBlether champions be in a position to diagnose mental health problems.

Hopefully, the BikeandBlether training will give me the skills and self-confidence to initiate conversations with fellow club riders about mental health and wellbeing during a ride-out or over a post-ride coffee.

Giving an individual the chance to talk – to simply be actively listened to – may encourage a new member or long-standing club member alike to stay involved or to get back in the saddle.

If you are reading this, perhaps you are wondering if it’s time to get back on the bike after a long layoff, join a fantastic community-focused cycling club – like Peebles Cycling Club - or experience the fun of exploring Scotland’s great outdoors on a mountain bike. In fact, BikeandBlether is just as relevant to support visiting mountain bikers I lead on trails in the Pentland Hills with Discovery Biking Scotland.

Whatever your level and ambitions in cycling, it can be hard to take that crucial first step, jump back on the bike and talk about mental health and wellbeing. But as your wheels spin through the stillness of the forest or the quiet of a country road, you’ll do wonders for your physical and mental health.

Get Involved

If you'd like to get involved in this work, contact Scottish Cycling.