Alexa Charnley
We're proud to be the home of Mental Health Awareness Week and gladly accept the responsibility of choosing a theme and running the campaign every year. We take great care to select a topic that people from all over the UK can relate to and will make them want to get involved in conversations and activities to promote good mental health.
This year, we're delighted to focus on the theme of ‘Community’. Already we’ve been hearing from people and organisations who are excited about the theme and stories about their own communities. We hope this year’s campaign will be the biggest and best yet.
Why community?
At the Mental Health Foundation we are committed to creating a world where there is good mental health for all. We do this by focusing on preventing poor mental health alongside building and protecting good mental health.
We know that being part of a community is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. We thrive when we have strong connections with others and supportive communities around us.
We also know that people who are more socially connected to family, friends, or their community are happier, physically healthier, and live longer, with fewer mental health problems than people who are less well connected.
Communities can provide us with a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and give us purpose.
So, this Mental Health Awareness Week we want to celebrate the communities that support us to protect and nurture good mental health.
What is a Community?
There are many different types of community, and you can belong to more than one.
A community is a group of people brought together through something which they share in common. It can be found with either the people who live around us in a geographic location or with people we connect with through similar values and interests. You might find your community at school or work, through your faith, at a club where you enjoy a hobby, as part of a group inspiring action for positive change, an online game, or even through a love of Taylor Swift.
Importantly, a community should make you feel good about yourself, feel safe, and feel empathy towards others. A community is there to help you through the hard times such as illness, bereavement, or natural disasters. Throughout covid we saw so many examples of communities coming together to support one another, find joy, and ensure that those most in need were looked after.
Of course, not all communities are safe or healthy. If a community makes you think badly of yourself, encourages hateful or discriminatory actions towards others, or puts you in danger, it will be damaging to your mental health and wellbeing. Throughout the week we’ll also be talking about how to recognise and protect yourself and loved ones from harmful spaces.
What will happen during Mental Health Awareness Week?
We will be providing expert information and guidance on how community supports good mental health, providing ideas for how to cultivate mentally healthy communities, sharing inspiring stories from communities across the UK, and encouraging people and organisations to get involved with activities and events.
We hope that you’ll get involved. Please keep an eye on our website for further updates, information and campaign materials. Or sign up to our mailing list.
Thank you
The work of the Mental Health Foundation would not be possible without the generosity of our supporters who fund our vital work, including Mental Health Awareness Week. We’d like to thank everyone who has contributed and all the partners who help to make the campaign possible including Pinterest, our lead partner for a second year.
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Mental Health Awareness Week 2025
This year, Mental Health Awareness Week will take place from 12 to 18 May 2025. The theme for 2025 is 'Community'.
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