Walk or cycle a Mile for your Mind, Suffolk residents urged

For this year’s Clean Air Day, Suffolk County Council is inviting people from across the county to take part in a ‘Mile for my mind’ walk and cycle at midday. To take part, residents can set off from anywhere in Suffolk and tag Suffolk County Council (@SuffolkCC) in their photos using the hashtags: #CleanAirDaySuffolk and #AMileForMyMind. 

Joe Thompson, Ipswich Talk Club Captain (2nd left) and attendees at the Talk Club ‘Mile for My Mind Walk’

A mile for my mind is supported by organisations and groups across Suffolk including Ipswich Borough, Babergh and Mid Suffolk, East Suffolk and West Suffolk Councils along with the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board, Suffolk Mind, Talk Club Ipswich, Bury Eco Carriers, Future Female Society.

On Tuesday this week, mental health charity Talk Club, led a one mile walk from Ipswich Town football ground to launch the Clean Air Day activities taking place across Suffolk.

The Clean Air Day activity marks the start of a programme of air quality engagement work planned for 2023 with officers from Suffolk County Council attending events across the County to speak to people about air pollution and its impact on health.

Councillor Paul West said: ‘On average 7% of car journeys are 1 mile or less, which for many people can be walked or cycled in under 20 minutes. If every car journey in Suffolk under 1 mile was walked or cycled, it would result in over 15 million fewer car journeys per year and over 40,000 car journeys per day. 

‘For Clean Air Day we are encouraging people to break the habit of driving short journeys, and supporting people to see how easy, cheap and enjoyable making the journey on foot or wheels can be. Swapping short journeys by vehicle to more active modes of travel can protect both your physical and mental health from the effects of pollution.’