Sometimes all it takes is a walk and a little room for spontaneity.
For Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, the theme is ‘Action’. Throughout the week, we had a range of activities planned with our students which linked back to this year’s theme in different ways. But what we planned for Friday 15 May was for a different group of people…
We set out to hold a wellbeing walk at Westport Lake for those who are supporting others through their work – simply because we know that you can’t pour from an empty cup!
“It provided time for me to breathe and feel refreshed. Being outside just regenerates you. Great company, fresh air - and I feel a lot more energised.”
"The walk was uplifting, it was a bit cold but sunny, the air was fresh and we were surrounded by trees. We even saw some baby ducks! It reminded me of the power of nature, always there regardless, the trees being literally grounded, majestic and reliable. I felt present! I will do this more often, just spend some time green bathing."
What made the day even more special was a spontaneous idea that emerged along the way – to turn the walk into a colour walk.
What is a colour walk?
A colour walk is a simple but powerful mindful activity where you choose a colour and go for a walk, noticing and collecting things you see in that colour. You can do it alone or with others, choose the same colour or different ones, and capture what you find through photos, notes or simply observation.
Of course, for Mental Health Awareness Week, we chose green – a colour that connects to nature, renewal, and wellbeing, and very fittingly, also represents the College.
“The colour walk made me look at things differently - I focused on things I normally would have missed or not given a second thought to. It was a very unexpected mindful exercise.”
