Pupils and staff from Dunoon Grammar School will team up with members of the local community next month to help reduce the stigma of mental health.

Dunoon Grammar is one of only seven schools from across Scotland chosen as a pilot school for Mental Health in Scotland.

In partnership with SeeMe – a Scottish programme aimed at tackling mental health stigma and discrimination – pupils and staff will take part in a “Walk a Mile” event on Friday 9 June.

This event is aimed at encouraging people to talk about mental health as they walk, showing everyone that it is okay to speak about it.

It is hoped that members of the public will join in too to help raise awareness of this important subject.

Head Teacher at Dunoon Grammar School, David Mitchell said: “I am extremely proud and honoured that Dunoon Grammar is one of only a small number of schools chosen as a pilot for Mental Health Scotland.

“Mental health is an extremely important subject, but one which people sometimes feel too ashamed to talk about. It shouldn’t be this way.

“We need people to realise that it’s okay to feel sad or anxious, and we need them to know that it’s okay to open up and talk about their emotions.

“We want to show that mental health can be a topic of everyday conversations, and we are all responsible for creating a positive attitude about it.

“Pupils from Dunoon Grammar attended a “Walk a Mile” event at Murrayfield with Sir Chris Hoy at the end of last year.

“This event, organised by the Scottish Association of Mental Health (SAMH) and SeeMe, highlighted the need for young people to start talking about mental health.

“We have decided to hold our own event next month, in association with SeeMe, which will be attended by a wide variety of people. It would be great if the local community could join in and support the cause too.”

If you would like to take part, please register no later than Friday 26 May.

You can register by visiting: http://bit.ly/2rtcbLI