SCHOOLCHILDREN will make a contribution to mental health awareness by taking part in a guided walk.

Staff from the Tees and North-East Yorkshire NHS Trust are marking World Mental Health Day, on Tuesday, by organising the walk around Middlesbrough's Albert Park.

Year five children from the town's Ayresome Junior School, along with service users from the nearby Parkside Mental Health Resource Centre, will be guided on the trail by Sue Barnard, coordinator of the trust's Health Walks in Hemlington project.

The youngsters have started preparing for the day by exploring what makes them happy and sad and how they deal with their feelings.

They have also been designing badges to mark the annual awareness campaign.

Councillor Kath Bevington, Middlesbrough's mayor, will launch the walk by choosing the best badge and presenting the winning young designer with £20 worth of gift vouchers.

Wendy Martindale, the trust's health promotion officer, said: "Positive Steps is usually the theme of World Mental Health Day so it seemed appropriate to put that theme into action with a walk.

"Getting out and about, and keeping active can help to promote positive mental well-being, and we are delighted that local schoolchildren will be joining us.