A kayak in an eye-catching window display will help show people the positive link between being active and good mental health.
The sports equipment in the window of the RAMH Restore, in Causeyside Street, is to highlight a new partnership between the charity and Decathlon Braehead.
Decathlon approached RAMH, which has been delivering mental health services across Paisley and beyond for more than 30 years, to help them develop a greater awareness of some of the issues impacting on mental health.
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As part of the new partnership, RAMH will be delivering mental health awareness training to Decathlon staff at their Braehead store and also plans to hold awareness events in store.
Decathlon will promote a healthy and active lifestyle to all staff and customers with support from RAMH to showcase the benefits of physical activity and sport on mental health. It will also support RAMH by promoting the partnership online and with in-store fundraising.
Stephen McLellan, chief executive of RAMH, said they were delighted to have been approached.
He said: “We have been an active provider of direct support locally since 1990, indeed we were involved before that, as a purely voluntary group, fighting to raise awareness of mental health issues.
“Being approached by Decathlon, an international brand with a huge customer base, shows how responsible their staff are, by consciously looking to expand understanding of mental ill health.”
He added: “Our shared outcome is to raise awareness of mental ill health, but particularly how to access support when needed and where to go to get it.
“One of the interesting initiatives is that Decathlon will provide materials, including a kayak to our RAMH Restore on Causyeside Street, to attract attention from passing shoppers, which it is hoped will encourage greater engagement.”
Stephen said research and experience has shown that participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety.
It also plays a role in preventing the development of mental health problems and in improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental health problems.
Ryan Wood from Decathlon said: “Our aim at Decathlon is to make the pleasures and benefits of sport accessible to all.
“This includes the benefits having a healthy and active lifestyle can have on your mental health.
“We are delighted to team up with RAMH, a fantastic local charity, to support our customers and teammates and to work together to offer these benefits to the local community.
“We are looking forward to supporting RAMH in their endeavours, including supporting the RAMH REstore Shop in Paisley to raise valuable funds to support the charity’s activities.”
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