Beauty spots from around Preston and South Ribble are set to feature in a new Love from Lancashire calendar.
AdvertisementMental health charity Lancashire Mind decided to create the calendar after the success of a photography competition that was run earlier in lockdown.
The charity had originally asked people to post photos from anywhere in the county on their social media channels in order to create an online album.
Lancashire Mind Fundraising Lead, Emma Bateson, said: “We initially had the idea as a way of bringing people together and showcasing our beautiful county. At the time people were only able to venture out locally and there were many places that people missed visiting.
“We had a fantastic response and got such great photos we didn’t want to just leave it there. We came up with the idea of a calendar so the pictures could be enjoyed all year round.”
The winning entry came from Shafiq Khan, who captured Hoghton Bottoms in South Ribble.
Another entry from Preston photographer Frazer Faulkner depicts sunset from Beacon Fell. A photo of a wintry Cuerden Valley Park by Steph Reece also features.
Shafiq’s winning image will be in the calendar, along with others that are voted for by the public. The gallery of images can be viewed on the Lancashire Mind website, and votes can be sent to emmabateson@lancashiremind.org.uk.
Lancashire Mind encourages people to practise the five ways to wellbeing – evidence-based actions developed by the New Economics Foundation – that can make a positive difference to mental health and wellbeing.
Emma said: “Take Notice is one of the five ways to wellbeing. By asking people to share images from their daily run or walk, we wanted to show how simple and effective following the five ways can be.”
Like many charities, Lancashire Mind has seen a significant drop in income with fundraising activities postponed or cancelled due to Covid-19.
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Emma said: “Covid-19 has affected people’s mental health very differently. This includes a lot of people experiencing mental distress for the first time as well as those trying to manage an existing mental health condition at an incredibly difficult and uncertain time.
“As a result, we have seen an increase in demand for our services as more people than ever reach out for help. We have, however, also seen a significant drop in our income.
“As well as income from the sale of the calendars we’re also asking local businesses to get involved and sponsor a month to help us cover the initial costs of printing etc.”
To enquire about sponsorship, email emmabateson@lancashiremind.org.uk.
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Will you be voting for photos to be included in the calendar? Let us know in the comments.