Mental Health Awareness Week

We believe that no one should be lonely or isolated. That’s why we set up Clic – our online community here for everyone’s mental health 24/7. Clic helps thousands of people feel more connected and less alone. By offering resources and facilitating a safe environment where people can chat online, Clic gives users the tools to not just manage their mental health, but to thrive too.

Did you know that £10 could help towards the cost of a call to our advice and information line? Fundraising for Mental Health UK is a great way to help us be there for people looking for mental health support during a time of need. But it’s not all about running marathons – we’ve been blown away by stories of people who’ve found creative ways to fundraise for us while keeping safe during the pandemic.

Starting a conversation about someone’s wellbeing can be difficult. Below are some pointers about how you might approach a colleague at work if you’re worried about them. With an empathetic and non-judgmental outlook, and a few open questions up your sleeves, you can create the right moment to talk. These tips apply if you are working from home too.

Did you know people who take part in regular physical activity have up to a 30% lower risk of depression? Exercise is proven to have a hugely positive impact on the quality of life of people affected by mental health problems – it can improve our mood, ease stress, reduce anger, alleviate anxiety and slow cognitive decline. It is also known to help us sleep better and build confidence.

Take steps to support your wellbeing and help us do the same for the rest of the nation. Step by Step is our walking challenge, aiming to get everyone moving in May. Choose a date and a distance, get a team together, get sponsored and get outside! Whether taking steps for your own wellbeing or simply to encourage others to do the same, we’d love you to join.

Who says your friends and family get to have all the fun? Mobilise your colleagues to get involved in our Step by Step walking challenge during Mental Health Awareness Week too! It’s a great way to encourage everyone to be active and embrace nature and the environment, by heading outside on your lunch break or having ‘walking meetings’ during the week.

Our friends at the Woodland Trust know a thing about nature and the benefits that getting into the wild can have for our mental health. They’ve kindly shared their ‘Find a wood’ tool with us, making it easier for us all to find a wooded trail near us without having to venture too far from our own postcodes. And you may even be able to discover some spring wildlife in your new local spot.

Storytelling is a powerful tool in helping us to better understand and manage our mental health. But many future generations won’t ‘see’ what we’ve experienced during the pandemic but could learn a lot from our collective sacrifices and resilience. That’s why we’re inviting you to archive your stories in our Covid Capsule today, for us to look back and grow from.

Our ‘How to…’ webinars explore a variety of topics, from young people’s mental health support to wellbeing in the workplace. For each session you’ll hear from our very own in-house experts at Mental Health UK, who’ll share solutions to some commonly-faced challenges, and discuss the role that positive environments and techniques can play in overcoming these.

If you’re completely new to mental health and looking to learn more, our online advice pages are a great place to start your journey. You can access a variety of information to help you manage your mental health and wellbeing or support someone you know. You can also learn about the work we do across the UK via our four national charities, and through online services.

Even if you don’t see yourself as a creative person, research has shown that getting creative and learning a new skill can help improve your mental wellbeing. In May, we’re launching ‘Creative Connection’ – a new interactive event where you can get involved with some arts and crafts while fundraising for us. So have your glue and scissors at the ready!

Educating workplaces creates an open culture and helps break the stigma associated with mental health. Mental health training is just one of the ways we’re changing the experience of living with poor mental health across the UK. Our courses provide organisations with tools and support to improve mental health at work and make it as front of mind as physical health.

It can be daunting to reach out to friends, family or even healthcare professionals when you’re living with a mental health problem. So we built a safe online environment to help with this where possible. Clic is moderated 24/7 by trained volunteers giving their time to keep the site safe, but it’s also boosted by a community of users giving peer support and advice to each other.

Your donations help us to reach more people affected by poor mental health with advice, support and information, making a real impact on their lives. Individual giving enables us improve access to support groups across the UK, run our Mental Health and Money Service and provide access to information, such as our mental health information guides. Your generosity goes far!

From charity of the year partnerships, colleague fundraising and volunteering, through to payroll giving and cause-related marketing – there are plenty of ways we work with organisations to promote good mental health and reach more people. However you choose to support Mental Health UK, you’ll help us make a huge difference to people’s lives.