Putting Community in Mind during Mental Health Awareness Week 2025
Throughout Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 (12th to 18th May), we embraced the theme of Community with open arms. We held a campaign, Community in Mind, to celebrate the week and the communities we cultivate and to strengthen our mission of creating mentally healthy communities in Brent, Kensington & Chelsea, Wandsworth, Westminster and beyond.
Having access to a healthy community is essential for our mental health. Mental Health Awareness Week serves as an important reminder of the impact that strong social connections have on mental well-being. Studies show that people with supportive communities experience lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. With many individuals facing loneliness and isolation, our campaign aimed to foster and celebrate meaningful connections.
To engage the community, as well as celebrate the community, throughout Mental Health Awareness Week, we participated in a wide range of activities, engaging schools and service users alike.
What we got up to:
Stories from our Community Programmes
During Mental Health Awareness Week, we ran a special social media campaign highlighting the power of community in supporting mental health and wellbeing. Throughout the week, we shared powerful personal stories from people who have taken part in West Central London Mind’s Community Programmes, showing how connection, creativity, and nature can make a real difference.
The campaign featured three of our programmes:
Walk and Talk: our weekly walking group that combines gentle movement with meaningful conversation and connection.
Music in Mind: where participants come together to explore music, creativity, and expression in a safe and supportive space.
Green Minds: a nature-based programme offering gardening, eco-therapy, and time outdoors to help improve mood and build confidence.
Each video in the series shares a unique perspective on how these programmes have helped individuals find a sense of purpose, belonging, and support through community.
If you missed the campaign, you can still catch all the videos on our social media Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Tiktok (or watch them down below!) Don’t forget to like, comment, and share with others who you could benefit from the Community Programmes.
To find out more about how to access our Community Programmes, visit our website here or email [email protected].
Big Smiles at our Schools
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, we launched our Share A Smile campaign to help spread joy and strengthen community spirit in local schools across the four boroughs we serve: Brent, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, and Wandsworth.
The campaign encouraged schools to host their very own ‘Silliest Outfit Day’, a fun, light-hearted way for pupils and staff to come together, share a laugh, and promote positive mental health. From mismatched shoes to wacky wigs and colourful costumes, classrooms were filled with creativity, giggles, and connection.
We were thrilled to see local schools take part in the day, using silliness as a simple but powerful way to support wellbeing and show that looking after our mental health can start with a smile.
A huge thank you to the 5 brilliant schools who got involved, you helped make Mental Health Awareness Week a little brighter for everyone!
Community Event at Great Western Studios
On 13th May 2025, we celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week with a special celebration event at Great Western Studios, centred around the theme of community.
The evening featured a screening of our Community Programme video series, sharing heartfelt stories from people who have benefited from Music in Mind, Walk and Talk, and Green Minds. We were also joined by Optimal Dental Health, who delivered an insightful talk on the important connection between oral health and mental wellbeing, an often-overlooked aspect of self-care.
To close the event, guests took part in a mindfulness session, offering a calming and reflective space to end the evening and the week.
It was a joyful and meaningful gathering of supporters, partners, and community members, and a reminder of the power of coming together to support one another’s mental health.
Our Community Programmes rely on local funding and donations to keep going. Your support helps us continue providing vital mental health services in the community.
If you’d like to contribute and help make a difference to local mental health, you can make a donation by clicking the button below.
Posted on: 29th May 2025