Wednesday 10th October is World Mental Health Day and we’d love your support to mark the event, helping to raise awareness of mental wellbeing and challenging the stigma around mental ill health.  The purpose of this campaign is to highlight that we all have mental health in the same way that we all have physical health, and that we all have different ways in which we can look after our mental wellbeing.

Step 1:
- Pledge your support for World Mental Health Day and mark Wednesday 10th October in your diary.  Perhaps you might even like to consider hosting a fundraising event on our behalf?  A bake sale or coffee morning would be a great conversation starter!

Step 2:
- Print off and fill out the below #WorldMentalHealthDay poster, detailing what is good for your mental health – it could be anything from music to exercise, reading to socialising – whatever it is that helps you feel good and helps maintain your mental wellbeing.

Step 3:

• Get involved!  Get someone to take a photo of you with your poster, and on Wednesday 10th October, share the picture across your social media channels (not forgetting to give us your name!) tagging Birchwood Highland and using the #WorldMentalHealthDay hashtag. 

• Birchwood Highland on Facebook

• Birchwood Highland on Twitter

• Birchwood Highland on Instagram

If you don’t use social media, you can send your photo directly to us at info@birchwoodhighland.org.uk and we’ll share it on your behalf.

Fundraise and climb Ben Nevis with us!

If you would like to set up your own page for fundraising you can do this through either BT Mydonate or JustGiving.

You can also use a sponsorship form if that would be preferable.

Fancy a day out at the races?

Birchwood Highland and Marie Curie would like to invite you to Royal Ascot at the Kingsmills Hotel, a glamorous day of racing and fundraising.

With support from the fantastic team at the Kingsmills Hotel, we’ll be staging the nation’s favourite race day; bringing Ladies’ Day and The Gold Cup to the wonderful setting of the hotel’s luxury suites and gardens.

The event, on Thursday 21st June, includes a glass of bubbly on arrival followed by a delicious three-course meal with wine, as well as upbeat live music from Dark Horse.  Afternoon tea will be served between races and there will be some great bars to revel in. 

Don’t forget that we’ll be showing all the race action live via big screens, indoors and outdoors, so why not join us for a flutter?

Dress code: Dress for the occasion!

Millburn Academy will be hosting a Charity Race Night on Friday 15th June to raise funds for Birchwood Highland.

Tickets are available from Head Office - 01463 236507 or info@birchwoodhighland.org.uk

🚶‍ WALK A MILE 🚶‍

We’ll be taking to the streets of Inverness once again this year to show our support for #WalkAMile as part of the See Me Scotland campaign to end mental health stigma.

The 1 mile long walk will take place on Saturday 26th May and will be led by the NorCon PipeBand.

Meet up point will be at the Fishermen's Car Park, opposite Bught Park at 11am.

To register, please complete the below form or get in touch with us - info@birchwoodhighland.org.uk

We will be hosting a film night at Eden Court on Sunday 20th May with the showing of the film 'Good Will Hunting' - in collaboration with the Scottish Mental Health and Arts Festival (SMHAF).

You can book your tickets directly from the Eden Court website here

Fundraise for Birchwood Highland and EMMS Malawi with this Black Isle bike ride challenge!

• Assemble: 11.30am
• Starts: 12.00 noon

Route details - 

Start - Leave North Kessock on Shore Road along Beauly Firth to Redcastle, then turn left towards Muir of Ord, past Killearnan Church, till you reach the fork on the A832, then turn sharp right towards Tore and left at the children’s nursery.

Continue on this road until you reach the A835, cross it and turn right on the cycle path towards the Tore roundabout. Follow the sign for Wick for about 100 yards and turn right onto the road sign-posted Killen. Before end of outward leg enjoy “banana stop” on the way.
Return – Turn right off the Killen road through the “private road” barrier and enjoy a half mile “off road” section on through Balnakyle and downhill towards Munlochy village. Cross carefully at main Tore Road junction and cycle down through the village. Turning right almost opposite the Church on road sign-posted Black Isle Brewery. Proceed along this road, and then turn left at T junction, cross Munlochy to A9 road and turn left downhill towards the A9 underpass, North Kessock and – FINISH!

Sponsorship and full details can be found here

As part of Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival Highland, we'll be hosting an evening of film by showing 'Good Will Hunting' at Eden Court on Sunday 20th May. Tickets £6 / £5 from Eden Court box office.

Birchwood Highland's annual Dinner with the Stars fundraising event will take place once again in 2018; with comedian, broadcaster and celebrity chef Hardeep Singh Kohli set to visit the Highland capital to cook and entertain food enthusiasts and supporters of the charity alike.

Now in its third year - and with an established foodie following - Dinner with the Stars 2018 will take place in the rustic surrounding of Bogbain Farm, Inverness, and will feature a number of local guest chefs as well as a main course prepared by comedian and broadcaster Hardeep Singh Kohli himself.  Local chefs involved include John Lockhart of Fired Up Events – in-house caterers at Bogbain Farm and the newly-opened MacGregor’s Bar – as well as John Brawley and the team at Cafe Artysans.  Diners will also be treated to a selection of gelato from the award-winning Miele’s Gelataria in Inverness.

Hosted by Birchwood Highland Ambassador and STV News’ Nicola McAlley, Dinner with the Stars will feature a number of fundraising elements, including a raffle, gala auction and silent auction.

Tickets £60pp and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Individual bookings and tables of 10 are welcomed.

Stir your senses at this spice masterclass at the Royal Highland Hotel. 

In conversation with spice maestro Hardeep Singh Kohli, you can touch, taste and smell your way through the principles of cooking with Indian herbs and spices, and delve into new depths of flavour.

Soup and sandwich lunch plus tea/coffee will be provided. 

Tickets £25pp and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

Due to growing demand for our services in the Easter Ross area, we're hosting an informal drop-in event to explore career and volunteer opportunities on Monday 19th March.  Pop in to the Crazy Horse Coffee Shop any time between 1pm - 3pm to speak to members of the team and find out more!

We have announced an exciting new not-for-profit project which will help meet the increased demand for the organisation’s services in the Easter Ross area.

Set to open in early 2018, our first ever charity shop will be located on Invergordon’s High Street, in the heart of the Easter Ross port town.  The shop aims to sell high-quality pre-loved and second-hand goods, including: ladies, gents and children’s clothing; jewellery and accessories; small items of furniture and household goods; as well as some new and unused items.

As well as everything you’d expect from a charity shop – and more - this pioneering venture will operate as a social enterprise, not only benefiting customers, but also providing meaningful activity for people we support; through work and volunteer-based experiences.

The charity shop will rely on donations from members of the public, as well as from local businesses, and any items passed on will be gratefully received in the run-up to the shop opening next year.  Donations may include: good quality ladies, gents and children’s clothing/shoes; children’s toys; jewellery; small items of furniture; household goods and gift items.  Items can be donated at our Head Office at 59 Tomnahurich Street, Inverness, IV3 5DT on Mondays – Fridays, 9am – 5pm.  Items can also be donated locally at Birchwood Highland’s office at 108 High Street, Invergordon, IV18 0DR on Mondays – Fridays, 9am - 5pm.

Supervisors and volunteer shop assistants will also be required to help run the new shop, and applications for these positions are now open.  Volunteering can be an extremely rewarding experience, so if you have time to spare, and would like to help support a Highland charity - as well as helping to tackle mental health stigma and make a real difference to your local community - we’d love to hear from you.

All applications will be subject to references and training and support will be provided.  For further information on volunteering, please call our Head Office on 01463 236 507 or email info@birchwoodhighland.org.uk.

Find us at the Millburn Academy Christmas Fayre on Monday 4th December where we'll selling new and pre-loved jewellery to raise funds. 

A great opportunity to purchase some Christmas gifts at a great price, as well as supporting a local Highland charity. 

Contact info@birchwoodhighland.org.uk for more information. 

Rounding off a year of 30th anniversary celebrations, we'll be hosting our 30th Anniversary Stakeholder Event on Tuesday 21st November. 

This event is by invitation only, however, please contact info@birchwoodhighland.org.uk for further details.

More information coming soon!

Join us at Howdens Garden Centre on Thursday 26th October for an evening of fashion and fundraising!

Featuring new season collections from Howdens' clothing range; including Klass, Autonomy and Tulchan.  Plus occasionwear from La-Di-Da Fashion!

Tickets are just £5.00pp and include tea/coffee and cake.  

Click below to book your tickets, or pop in to Howdens and buy them in store. 

Would you like to run in one of the world's most beautiful marathons while raising funds for Birchwood Highland? We have some charity places for keen runners who'd like to support us! If the marathon is a bit of a stretch, you can also run in one of the other races, including the 10K Corporate Challenge, 10K run, and 5K fun run while raising funds on JustGiving. Visit the Loch Ness Marathon website if you'd like more information on any of the races. 

To get started, send us a message.  

Join us on Tuesday 12th September for Birchwood Highland's Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Venue: Inshes Church, Inverness

5.30pm - AGM

Staff, service users and members of the public welcome. Refreshments will be served after the AGM.

For further information, please call 01463 236 507 or email info@birchwoodhighland.org.uk

BEAST yourself on an epic 10k obstacle course race over tough Scottish terrain.  25 mega obstacles; giant water slides; icy loch water; thick mud & swamp crossings - it’s the ultimate team or solo challenge. Test your stamina at Scotland’s ‘beastliest’ obstacle race all while raising funds for Birchwood Highland! Standard entry for the event is £48.35-£51.55 and you visit the organiser's website here.

To get started, simply fill in the form below. 

These new 10k and half marathon runs in the vibrant city of Aberdeen, are a fantastic addition to our growing portfolio of mass-participation events which include the Simplyhealth Great North Run - the world’s biggest half marathon with 57,000 entrants.

The Half Marathon

Starting and finishing on Union Street, the half marathon course takes you north at the Beach Ballroom along the Esplanade towards the River Don, then a short out-and-back section on Ellon Road, before the picturesque Brig o Balgownie takes them across the Don for a second time as they pass half-way and head towards the historic cobbles of Old Aberdeen.

After a loop of Pittodrie Stadium runners will then pass by the beautifully reinstated Marischal College, and the new Marischal Square development will be a welcome sight at the top of Littlejohn Street before the Kirk of St Nicholas, His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Robert Gordons College and Union Terrace Gardens are passed on Rosemount Viaduct.

There's sure to be fantastic support as both routes head west along Carden Place. A turn back onto Albyn Place and one final push will bring Union Street and the finish line into view meaning that the cheering crowds, friends, family and that well-deserved medal are not far away!

The 10K

Starting and finishing on Union Street the 10k will take runners east, past the Town Hall and County House and towards the famous Castle Gate before turning right down Marischal Street towards Aberdeen Harbour. At the 3k point near the Beach Ballroom, runners will then head west and will join the half marathon route later as the course loops round Pittodrie Football Stadium.

Now into the second-half of the course, runners will follow Park Road and cross West North Street before eventually making their way past some of Aberdeen’s most iconic buildings and finishing back on Union Street, where they will be handed their goodie-filled finisher’s pack and medal.

To enter, simply fill in the form below. 

The Nairn Half Marathon is a flat, out-and-back road race. It starts and finishes at the Highland games arena, going past the beach and harbour as well as through open countryside. Organised by Nairn Road Runners is run as part of the Nairn Highland Games.

Date TBC – more information coming soon!

Named ‘Scotland’s friendliest marathon’, the Fort William Marathon will take you on a journey through some of the area’s most stunning scenery. A challenging multi-terrain route taking in the spectacular sites of Fort William, including Ben Nevis, Thomas Telford's Caledonian Canal and Neptune's Staircase, The Commado Memorial, General Wade's High Bridge and the old railway viaduct.

Birchwood Highland has a limited number of free places – to book one all you have to do is pledge to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship. 

To get started, simply fill in the form below!