As our days turn colder and darker, it’s far too easy to hole up indoors with a promise to return to physical exercise in the spring. However, the start of the new year is a great time to get up and moving. Chances are, finding opportunities to exercise will help you feel more mentally and physically invigorated. But did you know, in this time of need, being active can also benefit the charities you care most about? If you’ve set a health and fitness resolution for the new year, consider supporting one of these four charities as you move yourself toward better health. It’s a great way to get fit and do good this winter season!
Do a Little Every Day with RED January: Sport in Mind
It’s January—which means we celebrate RED January, a nationwide movement for mental wellbeing. When you participate in RED January, you’ll join thousands of people beating the winter blues by pledging to move a little bit, every day this month. Many of us still suffer from the impacts of the pandemic. On top of this, our cost of living is high and we’re entering a mentally challenging season for a lot of people. When you join RED January, you’ll raise funds to help Sport in Mind help others in your community through these tough times. And you’ll benefit as well—research shows that more than half of REDers experience improved happiness and reduced anxiety.
It’s easy to get started, and you get to pick how you want to move. Just sign up for free as an individual or team. You’ll get a calendar where you can log your favourite daily activities, like walking, running, swimming, or biking. You set your own realistic fundraising target and you raise money every time you complete a daily activity. The charity makes it easy to raise funds, with shareable social images and other resources.
Kickstart the Year with a Fitness Challenge: The Cancer Research UK’s 2023 Winter Walk
We’re all a little guilty of overly enjoying those holiday drinks and treats. But don’t feel down about it, do something about it! The Cancer Research UK’s 2023 Winter Walk is a festive opportunity to walk off the goodies while doing good. In late January (Saturday 28 January and Sunday 29 January), you can sign up to participate in an activity that makes sense to you, including a full or half marathon or a 10K walk. You can join as an individual or a group, and you’ll raise funds for Cancer Research UK—or you can even select your own charity from a list of more than 300 organisations.
You’ll join others for a run or walk starting from the Oval Cricket Ground, and you’ll see historic sites and landmarks along your route. The 2023 Winter Walk comes with great perks, including free food and drinks, race-day support, a medal or certificate, and even a free bobble hat and neck buff!
Do Good, Get Fit, and Meet New Friends with GoodGym
Need a little inspiration to get out and get active? This month, join GoodGym, an active community of people who get fit by doing good. You can set goals to run, walk, and cycle to help local organisations. You can also perform practical tasks that help isolated older people, like doing maintenance around someone’s house, moving furniture for others, planting trees at a local park, or sorting cans for a foodbank.
You can search and join the more than 20,000 GoodGymers who are doing good across nearly 60 areas. Just search the GoodGym site to find a session and get started. Anyone can join, no matter your fitness level, and you can attend as often or as little as you like. It’s a flexible, achievable way to move around in 2023 and support a growing, vibrant community of new friends.
Do Your Own Run for Team Mind
Our last suggestion to get out and do good this winter season is an easy one: just sign up for any organised event of your choice, and fundraise for Team Mind at the same time. Mind is a leading mental health charity in England and Wales—when you run for Team Mind, you’ll help fight for better mental health. Simply choose an organised event, like a walk or virtual run. Then, after you register for the event with the organisers, just re-register with Team Mind. Once you join Team Mind, you’ll receive a helpful Do Your Own fundraising pack. If you’re already planning to participate in an organised challenge this year, Mind’s Do Your Own run is a great way to maximise your impact.
We get it. It’s easy to put off physical activity this time of year. Yet, these four charities make it even easier to get up, get out, and do good. You’ll feel better, support a critical cause, and, chances are, you might make some new friends along the way. What other activities do you plan to participate in this winter? What communities do you hope to get involved with? We’d love to hear more, and we hope you see you out and about this winter!