NZDF To Hold Runway Walk/Run at Whenuapai

5 October 2018

NZDF To Hold Runway Walk/Run at Whenuapai to Mark Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week will be marked at New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) camps and bases around the country next week, with a focus on this year’s theme of connecting with nature.

Mindfulness sessions, yoga, a barbecue lunch, Zumba, hip hop dancing, a community clean-up and a long walk or run down the RNZAF Base Auckland runway at Whenuapai are on offer for NZDF staff and their families from 8-12 October.

NZDF Chief Mental Health Officer Colonel Clare Bennett said the week would provide plenty of fun and education for participants but it was also a timely reminder to think about mental health and check in with friends and family.

“Sometimes we don’t recognise the signs that things are not going okay, or how this is affecting us and those around us,” Colonel Bennett said.

“This week provides an opportunity to think about how we feel, consider what positive changes we can make in our lives, and remind us that our mental health is important and that support is there if we need it.”

Media are invited to attend the Walk/Run/Sprint the Runway at Whenuapai on Friday, 12 October.

WHAT: Walk/Run/Sprint the Runway. The 2,031-metre runway will be closed for an hour while all participants traverse the tarmac. The goal is to get outside, get moving, talk to people, and have fun. A trophy will be awarded to the fastest person to complete the runway.

WHEN: Friday, 12 October, 11.30am.

WHERE: RNZAF Base Auckland at Whenuapai

ACTION REQUIRED: To attend the Walk/Run/Sprint the Runway at Whenuapai please email susan.phillips@nzdf.mil.nz by noon on Monday, 8 October. A photo ID will be required to enter the base.

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