Walk, Run, Cycle, Roll, Dance, Skip, Swim or even just cover 3 million miles with us - a mile for every taxpayer who’s been excluded from Covid-19 financial support through no fault of their own.
The aim of 3 Million Miles is to:
- encourage people to help support themselves by looking after their well-being by getting out in nature
- to bring awareness to the general public of those excluded from UK Government Covid-19 financial measures
- raise money for a support fund to provide mental health support, counselling, debt advice, business advice and guidance, skills and training
Here at ExcludedUK, our mission is to help and support you in these very challenging times, so as well as raising awareness of the financial plight of our members, supporting and offering business guidance - we also recognise the very real need to focus on your mental health and wellbeing.
We know, from the many members of our community that have been in touch and shared their stories of how they have been affected by the lack of financial support from the Government, that not only are many of you struggling due to lack of money, so many are also experiencing depression, stress and anxiety, which is leading to a huge increase in mental and physical health problems.
It’s well documented that physical activity leads to better mental and physical health. Even something as simple as a walk outside in nature can help counteract these feelings and this, in turn, improves feelings of overall wellbeing.
We launched our #3MillionMilesUK campaign in the summer – asking people to walk, run, roll, cycle, skip or even dance three million miles – one for every Excluded UK member. The response has been very encouraging – so we are now aiming to get even more people involved in it – not for sponsorship or fundraising (although if you want to you can - see below on how to set up your own sponsorship) but for the good of our mental and physical health.
Without boring you all with the science on how the brain works – we know that movement and exercise helps lift your mood by releasing our ‘happy hormones’.
These “happy hormones” include:
- Dopamine. Often referred to as the “feel-good” hormone, dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter that’s part of your brain’s reward system. Dopamine s linked to pleasurable sensations, as well as learning and memory.
- Endorphins. These are the body’s natural pain relievers. Endorphin levels increase when you engage in reward-producing activities, such as eating, working out, or having sex.
- Oxytocin. This hormone can also help promote trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships, and oxytocin levels generally increase with physical affection like kissing, cuddling, and sex.
- Serotonin. The original ‘happy hormone’, responsible for regulating mood as well as your sleep, appetite, digestion, learning ability, and memory.
If this wasn’t enough to get you dusting off your trainers , other health benefits of moving your body include improved sleep, more interest in sex, an increase in stamina and endurance and feeling less stressed. Add that to the obvious ones such as weight loss, lowered cholesterol levels and blood pressure, doing something physical releases cortisol which helps us manage stress.
Being physically active also gives your brain something to focus on and can be a positive coping strategy for difficult times reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem.
So – what are you waiting for? Whatever your chosen activity - join us at ExcludedUK and our #3MillionMilesUK campaign. Get the whole family involved and remember to log your miles once a week - post some pictures and enjoy all the benefits of simply moving.
Lend us your ears to hear our stories, walk in our shoes, and donate if you can to help us keep moving forwards.
How it works
You can make ‘donations per mile’ or ask others to donate through ‘sponsored miles’ to help us build up a support fund. You can also, of course, just take part without donations. And participants can encourage their friends and families to help us fundraise as we walk, run, roll or cycle towards our 3 million mile target. To set up your own fundraiser, please click here.
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