Picture: Talking is Mental group walk in Queen’s Park hosted by co-directors Billi (bottom-left) and Jack (bottom-right). Image credit: Talking is Mental
Glasgow based group initiative Talking is Mental have been combatting loneliness and encouraging social connection through a variety of activities including weekly walks, football, acting and writing classes.
Just over a year ago, a couple who live in Glasgow began hosting weekly walks around parks in the city.
Jack Glass and Billi Allen-Mandeville used their personal experiences of social isolation during the pandemic to foster an idea that would not only help them through their struggles but others too.
“When we started, we had a simple vision. A simple goal of combatting loneliness in Glasgow,” Jack says.
Their walks developed into a group that they coined Talking is Mental, where they now host many other weekly activities such as football, acting and writing clubs.
The couple have made use of their unique name for all of their different activity groups, with Walking is Mental, Football is Mental, Acting is Mental and Writing is Mental.
Over the course of a year, the couple have welcomed just over 250 people to their sessions.
“We’ve learned a lot about the barriers that people are facing who are dealing with loneliness and social isolation,” Jack remarked on bringing people together over the year.
Jack found that there was a gap in the market for a safe space for people to freely talk about their loneliness.
He added that he noticed that there weren’t many places for people who were in the middle stages of life to meet new friends easily, which led him to start Talking is Mental.
What began as a small group initiative with walks around the park has become a safe space for people to meet and connect.
In the beginning Talking is Mental hosted a weekly walk but as it has grown, they now deliver acting classes, football nights and writing classes each week too.
Why people love the groups?
Kiefer, Football is Mental
“Over the last 10 months of attending Football is Mental, I have met loads of great new people and look forward to the games each week to see everyone. It has had a massive impact on my mental health, not only regular exercise but also getting to see everyone, catch up and have a laugh,”
Sofi, Theatre is Mental attendee
“The Theatre is Mental group is incredibly supportive and open-minded. I truly feel like the best version of myself during our sessions. What I love most is that no one judges anyone – everyone genuinely cares and puts effort into making our group grow, feel safe, and become something we’re all proud of.”
Source: Scottish Government: Scottish Household survey report 2024
How loneliness impacts social connection
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines loneliness as “pain that is felt when people do not meet their social needs”, which could be understood as a lack of companionship.
However, loneliness runs much deeper than a limited number of social contacts.
It’s when you are moving house and don’t have someone to help you move your couch.
It’s when you feel like you don’t have a friend you can simply go for a coffee and half a pastry with.
It’s when you feel like there are no other options than to spend your time alone.
Often, people can find peace in their solitude but too much of this is unnatural for human beings as social creatures.
Psychologist Dr Heather MccLelland is an expert in suicide prevention research and has studied the effects of loneliness on mental health. Dr McClelland is currently a lecturer in Clinical psychology at the University of Glasgow.
She said that the effects of loneliness can be “extremely emotionally painful” but small interactions can really benefit the way that people get through social isolation.
Dr McClelland added: “Research shows that even minor social contact can have clinically significant benefits among individuals who feel lonely, including their physical and mental health and even their mortality.”
A year of walking
Walking is Mental aims to improve physical and mental health by encouraging people to get outside and go for a walk with others.
Their walks take place every Sunday in a different park close to Glasgow city centre.
I joined Jack and Billi just over a year ago on one of the walks early on in their initiative.
I’ll admit it had been nerve-wracking at first but when I met both Jack and Billi, I immediately felt welcomed.
What turned out to be a lovely winters day in Pollok Country Park near Glasgow was spent chatting, meeting new people and getting to enjoy a bit of exercise too.
A former ambassador for Talking Is Mental Sam Baillie said the group had greatly impacted his mental health.
“You’ve got something to look forward to at the end of the week, it’s critical to getting you through those hard days,” Sam remarked on his weekly walks.
Co-director of the group Billi added that seeing the positive effect the walks have had on others has made her feel like she has found something she could focus on.
“I’ve found my purpose,” she says.
It was important to the couple to ensure the walks were accessible and available to as many people as possible.
Most of their walks are in parks local to the centre of Glasgow or near public transport.
“It’s free and that’s really the main thing is that anyone and everyone can come,” Billi says.
The group encourage people to connect while exercising outside to really reap the benefits of social connection and physical activity.
Jack said: “When you come home from a walk like this, you sleep better.
“There are so many studies to show that just going on a 20-30 minute walk, makes a difference to your mental and physical health.”
Jack and Billi’s favourite walks
The couple shared their favourite places to take the Walking is Mental members.
Jack and Billi wanted to highlight the importance of removing the stigma of talking about being lonely and to encourage people to have open conversations about it.
Both of them said that watching people connect and seeing the improvement on other people’s mental state has been extremely rewarding, even improving their own mental health.
The couple hope to continue to connect others across the country with plans to expand their groups from Fife to paisley.
You can contact Talking is Mental by visiting their website: Talking is Mental | Glasgow’s Community Loneliness Initiative
