Cast your mind back to January 2021. Scotland is entering its second lockdown as the Covid pandemic refuses to loosen its grip. Isolation is taking its toll on the nation’s mental health. And in Perth, a group of pals are battling the authorities for the right to go for a walk around their city.
It was into this strange world that Perth’s Bag O Chips group was born.
The idea – a weekly mental health boost in the form of fresh air, exercise and companionship – has helped hundreds of people over the last three years.
And this week, those founding members gathered with new friends to celebrate how far they have all come.
The format couldn’t be simpler. Anyone who wants to is welcome to gather outside Bell’s Sports Centre, enjoy a cuppa and a bite to eat, and then set off on a stroll around the North Inch.
Wednesday’s fare featured chips, coffee and birthday cake donated by local businesses. And the walk included representatives from Andy’s Man Club and Mindspace, as well as around 20 people, all with their own reasons for taking part.
There were jokes and observations. There were introductions and deep discussion. And often there are people sharing things they’ve never felt comfortable about raising before.
How Bag O Chips became the pride of Perth
Founding member Pete Chan said it was remarkable to reflect on what had been achieved in the three years since Bag O Chips was launched.
At the time, an old friend of his had died by suicide. Regulars who visited his China China takeaway for company as much as for food were struggling with isolation.
And so he joined forces with Alex McClintock from Andy’s Man Club and Perth weightlifting coach Paul Garvie to offer a solution.
An open invite went out to anyone who wanted to join them outside China China for a bag of chips and a can of Irn Bru and then take a socially distanced dander round Perth.
But the plan was not plain sailing.
Critics accused the group of breaking strict lockdown rules.
Police and politicians weighed in. There was pressure to abandon the enterprise.
So they formed an online support network. And when the fuss died down they donned their walking shoes and high vis jackets and set off quietly on their walk, ensuring Covid restrictions were followed to the letter.
The following week they did it again. Then again.
And – barring one week recently when flooding made the North Inch unsafe – they have done it every single Wednesday. Even then, the organisers went down to the meeting point in case anyone was in need of a shoulder.
‘You can be talking about mental health without talking about mental health’
It’s this simplicity and consistency that has been key to Bag O Chips’ success, says Pete.
“One of us is always here,” he said.
“You never know who’s going to need the lift that week.”
On Wednesday the walkers included Janice Mylan, who was there with her son Michael and husband Ged.
The family have been involved with various mental health groups over the years, but Janice says Bag O Chips meets an important need.
“Mental health hasn’t always been at the forefront of people’s minds,” she said.
“The isolation that a lot of people experienced in lockdown is something people with mental health issues had been dealing with all their lives.”
Alan Reid is another regular. He joined his first Bag O Chips walk after suffering an aortic aneurysm.
Back then he could barely walk. Now he polishes off two circuits of the North Inch with barely a second thought.
“I could sit at home feeling sorry for myself,” he said.
“Or I can come here and push myself, meet other people and enjoy the scenery.
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
There is something about the environment and the act of walking that encourages people to open up in ways they might not be comfortable with indoors, says Alex McClintock of Andy’s Man Club Perth.
And that’s what has made Bag O Chips such an important part of so many people’s lives.
“Here, you can be talking about mental health without talking about mental health,” he said.
The Bag O Chips walk sets off from Bell’s Sports Centre on the North Inch, Perth, at 10am every Wednesday.
Andy’s Man Club meets on Mondays at 7pm at McDiarmid Park, Perth.
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