Registration for RED January 2025 has now opened.
RED January is a national initiative that encourages people to support their mental health by doing something active every day throughout the month. Participants are encouraged to set themselves a personal challenge and undertake any form of physical activity, including walking, swimming or using active transport such as cycling.
It aims to provide anyone who signs up with a goal and a focus in what is a characteristically tough month and empowers them to start the year as they mean to go on.
RED January is founded on research that shows physical activity can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing and reduce symptoms of mental illness such as depression and anxiety.
Hannah Beecham founded the movement in 2015 in response to mental health issues in her own family.
She told ConnectSport: "In the summer of 2015, my mum’s depression took a real turn. Feeling helpless, I thought about the positive effects physical activity has on my mind and wondered if it could help her mum in some way. I went ahead and signed us up to the Walk the Walk Midnight Marathon.
"Committing to her first official challenge meant my mum had a goal to work towards. With love and support she tackled each day one day at a time, getting out of the house and allowing herself to feel the benefits of exercise. Crossing the finishing line hand-in-hand with my mum will be one of our fondest memories together. Inspired by the life-changing effect that a physical challenge has had on my mum’s mental health, RED January is here to help you boost your own mental and physical health."
