A mental health charity is to hold its first community walk and fun day.

The Bermuda Mental Health Foundation Steps to Mental Wellness Walk and Community Fun Day was designed to promote good psychiatric health and break down the stigma attached to people who might need help to cope with mental problems.

A spokeswoman for the charity said the event was “another initiative that will allow the foundation to educate the community, showcase available help within our community, as well as continue the fight to decrease stigma around mental illness in our country”.

She added: “This free event will be open to everyone and we encourage all Bermudians to come out and show their support for mental wellness.”

The walk, to be held on October 12, will start from the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute in Devonshire at 1pm, and end at the Elliot Primary School playing fields, the venue for the fun day.

The spokeswoman appealed for volunteers to assist with the event and for people to sign up for the walk, scheduled to be held during Mental Health Week.

Anyone interested in taking part in the day, sponsored by insurance giant Chubb, soft drinks firm John Barritt & Son and the MarketPlace supermarket chain, should register at www.bmhf.bm.

Any vendors interested in setting up a stall for the fun day should e-mail the same address.

• Entertainers who want to perform at the community event should contact Althea Winifred at althea@jdlewisgroup.com. The event is free, but a pledge form to help support the work of the charity is available