Live Here Love Here, working in partnership with Belfast Harbour, is back with its annual Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds campaign.

The campaign, now in its fourth year, offers people the opportunity to show some love to our rivers, lough and beaches while enjoying the mental-health benefits they have to offer.

This year’s campaign is set to be bigger than ever, with over 40 free events to choose from across the country. Activities kick off on Saturday 19 August with a sailing lesson at Bangor Marina.

The varied programme of events includes something for everyone, from a scavenger hunt on Cranfield West Beach and tour of Exploris Aquarium, to a litter-pick on the River Bann. The busy schedule is set to grow right until the campaign begins, and Live Here Love Here is encouraging the public to move fast to snap up limited places available at the free series of events.

Lynda Surgenor, Live Here Love Here Coordinator said: “We’re excited to get this year’s campaign underway. We have a fantastic programme on offer that not only celebrate our beautiful blue spaces, but offer opportunities to improve mental and physical well-being. We urge people to seize the chance to switch off, recharge and enjoy some downtime by our waterscapes.”

Jenni Barkley, Communications and Corporate Responsibility Manager at Belfast Harbour said: “This is the third year Belfast Harbour has partnered with Live Here Love Here on such a fantastic initiative. Northern Ireland is blessed with many rich marine environments that serve communities in many ways, not least by providing healthy outlets that support our wellbeing. The Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds campaign is a really valuable initiative because it supports communities to positively engage with our waterways in a variety of different ways but also learn that by adopting better habits we can all help to protect these spectacular assets from further damage and pollution, for future generations.”

The campaign will conclude with an opportunity to give back to our waterways through a series of beach litter-picks on 16-17 September, to coincide with the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Cleanups like this are much needed, with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful’s 2021 Marine Litter Report finding an average of 762 items of litter per 100m of beach surveyed.

Sign up for an event at www.liveherelovehere.org/healthyoceanshealthyminds