One in four people will experience a mental health problem each year*, and new research from the UK’s largest train company, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), shows that almost 80% (79%) of Brits believe taking a walk is good for their mental health. Southern Rail, which is operated by GTR and whose services cover the area between central London and the south coast, is supporting this by hosting its first hike in partnership with the mental health charity Mind.
Walking groups Common Ground and Gorp Girls will be helping Southern and Mind host the hike, which takes place on Saturday 22nd March in Box Hill, Surrey. The first release of 100 tickets were snapped up in 4 hours, and today in light of the new research Southern Rail has released an additional 100 tickets for those eager to attend! These have been released to show how easy it can be to reap the benefits of the outdoors, with one in five Brits sharing that they travel into nature via train.
Walking groups like Common Ground and Gorp Girls have massively risen in popularity, with the search for ‘local walking groups’ rising 300%.** Both Common Ground and Gorp Girls are no stranger to this – already engaging with thousands of Gen Z and Millennials across the country.
Seven in 10 Brits (71%) believe that joining a walking group can help reduce feelings of loneliness, therefore this new data from the train company shows walking groups could help contribute to improvements in mental health. Two-thirds of Brits (66%) also believe a short walk can clear their heads.
Angie Doll, Chief Executive Officer at Govia Thameslink Railway, says: “We are excited to host our first Rail Trail hike at Box Hill with Mind. At a time when more people than ever are experiencing mental health problems, we want to shine a light on the importance of clearing your mind and resetting in nature via our rail network. Traveling via train and hiking is a great way to explore new parts of the country and improve wellbeing. Almost 80% of Brits believe that taking a walk is good for their mental health, and walking groups offer the perfect opportunity for people to form new connections and get into the great outdoors.”
Over 40% of Brits felt that spending time in nature can help improve their mood, and almost half (43%) would consider joining a walking group. Brits see the top three benefits to joining a walking group as: getting fresh air (52%), meeting new people (47%), and being in nature (45%) – therefore joining this Southern Rail and Mind hike is the perfect way to embrace all of this.
Hannah da Silva, Founder of Gorp Girls, explains that: “We’ve seen the real-life benefits of hosting walking groups, with our walks attracting over 500 girls last year. What Gorp Girls stands for resonates entirely with Southern Rail’s research, where over half (53%) of women agree that it’s easier to have a conversation about mental health while out in nature.”
