Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds
Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds is a late-summer tour of blue spaces that helps you forge lasting connections with our wild waters.
From paddleboarding and beach yoga, litter-picking to educational talks, experience and learn about our waterways, and feel the mental-health benefits that they have to offer.
Dive in from Saturday 19th August to Sunday 17th September!
A bl-oost to the system
It’s been proven that blue spaces are really good for us. A 2021 report published by the Mental Health Foundation found that 65% of adults in the UK felt a positive impact on their mental health – reduced stress, anxiety and isolation – from spending time by public waters. One study even suggests that they could save the health-care system £176 million pounds a year!
However, the health of our coastal and inland waterways is in jeopardy, with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful’s 2021 Marine Litter Report showing that, on average, 762 items of litter were found per 100 metres of beach surveyed, and that 81% of this contained plastic. Globally, it’s estimated that 170 trillion pieces of plastic – around 2 million tonnes – are floating in the world’s oceans.
We can all show more love to our rivers, loughs, canals and beaches. Let’s make Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds the place to start!
The 2023 line-up
Check out the ways that you can switch off, recharge and enjoy some downtime by our first-rate waterscapes.
Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds events are free of charge, thanks to funding from Belfast Harbour.
Interested in organising an event as part of the series? Get in touch.
To participate in an event, you must register on Eventbrite. Please click the 'View all events' button below. Please note: some events are subject to suitable weather and water-quality conditions. Age restrictions may apply.
Sailing lesson with Sailschool NI
Bangor Marina | 19 August | 2pm-5pm
Foraging session with Feasting on Weeds
Crawfordsburn | 20 August | 12pm
Beach-sound healing
Kilclief Beach | 20 August | 8am-9am
Paddleboarding with Geology Rocks
Cranfield West Beach | 21 August | 2pm-4pm
Beach school
Wee Beach, Portstewart | 21 August | 2pm-3pm
Sandcastle competition
Carnlough Beach | 23 August | 11am
Scavenger hunt
Cranfield West Beach | 23 August | 10am-11:15am
Bouldering
Newcastle | 24 August | 6pm-8:30pm
Paddle with a purpose
Strangford Lough | 26 August
Boat trip to Rams Island
Rams Island | 26 August | 10am-2pm
Freshwater habitat investigation
Newcastle | 29 August | 10am-12:30pm
Compassionate cafe - our water world
Creggan Country Park | 30 August | 10am-12pm
Exploris Aquarium tour
Portaferry | 01 September | 10:30am
Butterfly and bird walk
Murlough Beach | 02 September | 7am
River litterpick
River Bann, Portadown | 03 September | 10am-1:30pm
Mindfulness walk and beach yoga
Murlough Beach | 03 September | 6:30pm-8:30pm
Final chapter
Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds concludes with a series of beach litter-picks on 15-16 September that form part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.
Join a global day of action to #SeatheChange!