JANUARY is famously one of the most depressing times of year.

Now an Oxfordshire mental health charity is encouraging people to join its campaign to run, walk, swim or cycle away from the January blues.

Oxfordshire Mind will once again be supporting RED January, a month-long initiative getting people active to benefit their mental health.

The link between mental health and physical exercise has been highlighted this year, with Oxfordshire’s director of public health Jonathan McWilliam calling for more to be done to encourage residents to get active in his annual report.

Some 56,795 people were diagnosed with depression across the county last year, an increase of 14 per cent compared to 2013.

In RED January, people can walk, run, swim or cycle, so long as they do some form of activity each day for the whole month.

Mind says it provides a focus during a characteristically tough month and offers support to ‘REDers’ through an online community.

Oxfordshire Mind CEO Dan Knowles said: “This is our second year participating as a Mind partner in the RED January campaign and it promises to be bigger, better and more inclusive than ever, with more focus on simply being active every day rather than limiting people to just running as in previous years.

“Oxfordshire Mind are delighted to welcome back many participants from last year, which says a lot about the experience for them but are also attracting a lot of new people which shows the event is building momentum.”

The RED challenge was launched by Mind on the back of research that showed physical activity could have a positive impact on mental wellbeing and even reduce symptoms of mental illness such as depression and anxiety.

Mr Knowles added: “It gives us the opportunity to highlight the importance of mental wellbeing alongside and equal to physical wellbeing.

“There are great positive effects on mental wellbeing from people being active but often with mental health issues motivation can be a limiting factor.

“We are grateful for the effort everybody makes and the enthusiasm they bring to the Oxfordshire Mind RED team.”

Last year Oxfordshire Mind had more than 50 people signed up who together raised £1,690 for the charity while also raising awareness about mental health.

That adds to the more than £1 million the scheme has raised nationally.

The money supports Oxfordshire Mind and the work the charity carries out in the Oxfordshire community to support mental health services.

For more information or to take part in RED January visit oxfordshiremind.org.uk/join-us/r-e-d-january