In the lead up to World Mental Health Day, ASICS, together with mental health charity Mind, transformed Retford into ‘Upliftford’. The experiment demonstrated the power of movement to uplift the mood of a town, with residents recording a mental uplift of 48%.
Following research into the mood of the nation, the ASICS State-of-Mind Index identified Nottinghamshire as the county with the lowest State-of-Mind score in the UK, and Retford as one of the towns most motivated to improve.
ASICS transformed the streets of Retford into a movement-inspired gym. Along an Uplift Route, bus stops were turned into ‘bus steps’, benches into ‘bench presses’ and lampposts into ‘goal posts’, with Retford residents moving together to improve their mood. Residents were joined by mental health advocate Katie Piper and invited to measure the impact of movement on their mind using the Mind Uplifter tool.
After the day’s events, the experiment showed that Retford residents experienced a mood uplift of 48%, with the town’s score increasing 27 points from 56 to 71 out of 100.
Gary Raucher, Executive Vice President, ASICS, commented: “We have championed the positive impact of sport on the body and the mind for over 70 years. It’s why we are called ASICS – it’s an acronym from the Latin, Anima Sana in Corpore Sano or a Sound Mind in a Sound Body. The results in Retford really demonstrate the power of movement to have a very significant impact on our mental wellbeing.”
Councillor Carolyn Troop, Mayor of Retford, said: “I’m thrilled that ASICS chose to hold this event in Retford; I would like to thank all of the residents for taking part and the organisations that made it happen. As the name suggests, I’ve no doubt that the event uplifted the town and its people.”
Participants also helped raise funds for Mind’s vital work across the country, supporting the charity’s commitment to fight for better mental health. Nottinghamshire Mind were present at the experiment, offering advice and support for residents of the town who wished to share any mental health-related issues.
ASICS is now on a mission to show what the power of movement can do for the world. Uplift Retford is part of a wider initiative by ASICS which is encouraging everyone to be part of its unique Uplifting Minds study – the first live multi-sport, multi-national study conducted into the impact of exercise on the mind. To be part of the research, people simply need to capture their state of mind before and after exercise. Everyone who shares their research results on social media with #UpliftingMinds will also help raise funds for mental health charity Mind.
To find out more about the experiment and ASICS’ commitment to uplifting minds through sport, visit www.asics.com/gb/en-gb/mk/mind-uplifter.
