Northland mental health patients are getting some healthy balance into their lives after a sports shoe company gave 40 pairs of new footwear to the Northland District Health Board.
New Balance donated the shoes to the health board's mental health patients to enable them to fully engage in fitness classes which contribute towards improving their overall health and well-being.
The Activ8 Northland classes for the mental health patients - funded by rehabilitation service Recovery Solutions - have been running for 18 months and staff have noticed many positive outcomes.
Psychiatrist Vernon Reynolds said it made sense for patients and staff to take a holistic view to health but converting it into a reality could be a challenge. However, one of those barriers - access to good footwear - had been removed.
"We're trying to get people to understand that lifestyle choice is a huge part of what keeps us well - the eating, drinking, sleeping, activity, socialising in our lives, keep us going and maintains us and attention to those things is important," Dr Reynolds said.