Sea Scrub Sauna will hosts South Kent Mind’s Firewalk on the beach at its Folkestone site on Saturday 10 October, with every pound raised staying on the Kent coast.

Sea Scrub Sauna

On the evening of World Mental Health Day, a bed of coals will be raked flat on Folkestone’s beach and left to glow at around 650°C. Once the light has gone, people will walk across it barefoot, one at a time.

The Firewalk raises money for South Kent Mind, an independent local charity that supported more than 2,000 people across the coast last year. Because it’s independent, every pound raised stays between Deal and Dungeness. That money funds free mental health groups and wellbeing support, run by people who live here. Saga is sponsoring the event again this year.

This year the walk comes to Sea Scrub Sauna’s Folkestone site. The coastal sauna was founded by cousins Luke and Robin, who grew up on the Kent coast and fell for sauna culture while travelling in Norway. What began as one wood-fired sauna in Margate now runs across four Kent sites.

Co-founder Robin said: “Every day we watch people do something that looks daunting from the outside. Step into a hot room, then walk into cold water. Lots of people hesitate. Almost everyone does it anyway, because someone’s standing next to them doing the same. The Finns have a word for it, sisu, a quiet kind of grit. A firewalk is that idea turned right up, for a charity that keeps people on this coast going. We couldn’t think of a better way to mark the day.”

Nobody steps onto the embers unprepared. Registration opens at 6pm, followed by an hour of training from 6.30pm. The walk itself begins after dark.

Entry is £20 for individuals. Teams of five pay £80, which works out as one place free, making it a popular choice for workplaces, families and groups of friends. Walkers are encouraged to raise sponsorship on top of their entry. Sign-up and fundraising details are on the South Kent Mind Website.

Joe Tolhurst, Head of Income Generation at South Kent Mind: “World Mental Health Day is about starting conversations, raising awareness and reminding people that nobody should have to face mental health challenges alone. The Firewalk is a brilliant way of bringing our community together to do something bold, positive and memorable in support of local mental health.

As an independent local charity, the money raised through the Firewalk stays here in South Kent and helps us continue providing accessible mental health and wellbeing support to people across our community. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone taking part and fundraising for South Kent Mind, to every person who generously donates in support of them, to Sea Scrub Sauna for hosting us, and to Saga for supporting the event once again.”

Those unable to take part in the Firewalk can still support South Kent Mind by donating to the event’s JustGiving campaign here.