If it makes you smile, go for it!

As we mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October, we ask Member Kevin Alderton what he does to relax.

These days, it’s easy to become completely overwhelmed by life, so taking the time to prioritize your mental health has never been so important.

In fact, your mental health is just as important as your physical health, if not more so. It affects how you think, feel and act, and also helps determine how you handle stress and relate to others. So what can you do to look after it?

For our Working Age Member Liaison Lead, Kevin Alderton, spending time on his two favorite hobbies, fishing and golf, can make all the difference.

Kev says: “Finding a hobby is an important part of our rehabilitation process as it can give us motivation, thinking space and freedom from our day-to-day lives.

“For many years prior to my sight loss, I’ve been a keen fisherman, along with other members of my family and my friends. Whether I’m standing on a freezing beach in winter on the hunt for cod, bass, pollock or smooth-hounds, or spending long summer days and nights beside a beautiful lake hunting illusive carp, I’m absolutely in my element. 

“Not only does this give me the opportunity to enjoy an activity that I absolutely love, but it also gives me the chance to think things through and unwind and forget about the stresses that sight loss can bring on a daily basis. 

“Golf is my other passion. However, unlike fishing I didn’t take up golf until after I’d lost my sight. Again, this has been a great outlet for me. It’s a sport I’ve grown to love over time. 

“I can’t play golf on my own due to my sight loss (I’d lose too many balls), so I play with a dedicated volunteer guide who was sourced by Blind Veterans UK. This means I can play regularly and have also made a great new friendship – unless he loses my ball, of course!

“Playing golf has been amazing for both my mental and physical health – although I’d question whether it reduces my stress levels at times! 

“We all need something in our lives that makes us smile, feel independent and gives us something to look forward too. Hobbies, like golf or fishing, can be great levelers and fantastic for making new friends.

“I can’t recommend enough the benefits of being outdoors and would encourage the sighted and sight-impaired alike to get up off your backside and give a hobby a go. You never know what you might achieve.”

Is there a hobby you’d like to try? If so, we may be able to help. Speak to your Community Support Worker and check out our activities and groups at blindveterans.org.uk/member