Pre-loved shoes will be used to create a sole-ful labyrinth in Victoria Square on Tuesday.

The labyrinth pattern will be drawn with donated shoes, which those in need can take for free after walking its path.

Leftover shoes will be donated to the Hutt St Centre.

The labyrinth is being facilitated by Centacare as part of Lunch in the Square, a celebration to mark Mental Health Week.

Centacare Support Worker Carole Schroeder has been facilitating labyrinths for 15 years and says they are often confused with mazes.

While mazes are made to puzzle the mind, labyrinths can relax it.

“A maze is a game; it’s a place to think your way out of,’’ says Carole.

“In a maze you lose yourself; in a labyrinth you find yourself.

“A labyrinth has twists and turns but offers a single pathway into the centre and the same pathway out, so it’s intuitive; it can be a way of slowing down the mind.’’

This will be the second walking labyrinth Carole has facilitated with shoes. Previously, she used footwear to create a community labyrinth in Eden Valley.

“The whole town got together and donated their shoes and it was a huge hit,’’ she says.

In October last year, Carole and the Barossa Community Labyrinth group, together with the Barossa Mayor, officially opened the permanent Barossa Community Labyrinth – which doubles as a walkable public artwork – in the Barossa Bushgardens.

“Labyrinths have been around for at least 4000 years,’’ she says.

“Their resurgence in recent times has been associated with walking meditation and an active way to practice mindfulness.’’

Hosted by the Mental Health Coalition of South Australia, Lunch in the Square begins 11am Tuesday, October 8 and runs til 2pm. There will be activities, arts, crafts, games, music and more.

If you’d like to donate shoes for the labyrinth, contact Broady Robertson at brobertson@centacare.org.au or phone 8215 6700.