A GLASGOW rugby team is supporting a campaign to encourage people to read to boost their mental health.

A pop-up pitchside library appeared at Scotstoun Stadium to encourage the Glasgow Warriors players to take a break from training and boost their mental health and wellbeing.

The professional club is pledging its support for the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign, which is encouraging people to read every day – starting with a pledge to read for just six minutes on Wednesday, May 11.

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Rob Harley, Glasgow Warriors' club record holder for appearances, said: “I’m a big reader in my spare time.

“I recently finished The Birthday of the World, which is a collection of short stories by Ursula le Guin, and I love when people recommend me new books to read or topics to explore.

Glasgow Times:

“Reading is a brilliant way to relax as well as discover new ideas, and I find switching off with a book one of the best ways to relax.

“The fact that there’s evidence showing how much reading can benefit your mental health is a definite bonus.”

The initiative is led by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation and the Scottish Association for Mental Health and with support from Baillie Gifford, publishers, booksellers and authors.

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Pamela Tulloch, chief executive at SLIC, said: “Reading for pleasure can have a huge impact on our mental health, and that’s why we’re hoping as many people as possible will pledge their support and take part in the national reading moment to see what it could do for their own wellbeing.

“With our local libraries full of great reading material – whether you’re looking for books, comics, poetry or even a recipe book – there’s an abundance of free reading material on our doorsteps, whatever your interests.”