With exams beginning next week the Engineering Society of Queen’s University is hosting its first Walk for Mental Health on Sunday, April 9.

The walk is open to all members of the Queen’s and Kingston communities and is aimed at supporting mental health awareness.

“Right now a lot of students are really busy and even though exams are right around the corner the reason we picked this day is that it is after classes have finished and it’s a good opportunity to get a little bit of a break and the weather is nicer,” says Galvin Niu, chair of the External Relations Committee. “We wanted to do it right before exams so people can have the information and tips and they will fell more confident and maybe a little more relaxed knowing where the resources are.”

Registration is from 9-9:30am outside of Beamish-Munro Hall, on the corner of Union and Division, with an opening ceremony featuring a pair of guest speakers to follow. The walk starts at 10:30 am outside of the Campus Bookstore. The route will be clearly marked at each intersection and volunteers will help guide participants along the way. The walk should last around an hour or less, and participants will be greeted at the finish line with a free BBQ and two more guest speakers.

Donations will also be collected.

While Queen’s and the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science have increased support and awareness of mental health, there remains much work to be done, says Mr Niu.

“I think there still is a stigma around mental health. People still think it is a negative when it should be a neutral word,” he says. “Mental health is just as important as our physical health so we wanted to do this event to raise more awareness.”

For more information about the walk, visit the Walk for Mental Health event page on Facebook.