Today, Monday 10th May 2021, marks the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week, the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing. The week, which is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, is in its 21st year and runs from 10-16 May.
This year, the theme for the week is ‘Nature’. Across the country, people will be celebrating the mental health benefits of being around nature in their local community in a range of digital and creative ways. Bachy Soletanche is taking part in discussions across our departments, Mental Health First Aiders and projects teams, around topics such as looking after your mental wellbeing, how to help others struggling with their mental health and how to access resources and help.
Bachy Soletanche UK Health and Safety Manager, Malcolm Mearns, commented:
“The philosopher Erasmus once said, “Prevention is better than cure”. This term is still used today as one of the primary principles of medicine and physical first aid. This week we will be focussing on ways we can all improve our mental health and wellbeing by simply discussing how we look after ourselves with some very simple self-care ideas. Doing things that make us feel better will improve how we think about ourselves and others.”
Mark Rowland Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation said:
“Mental Health Awareness Week has grown to be one of the biggest awareness weeks in the UK. This year the theme is on nature and its central role for our mental health. Since the beginning of the pandemic, millions of us turned to nature to help us get through lockdowns and our research shows that good mental health depends on us being able to connect with nature in some way and its power in both prevention of and recovery from poor mental health.
During the week, we want to hear millions of people’s stories about how the natural world has supported their mental health. We also want to highlight the huge disparities between who is and who isn’t able to access nature. We want the week to explore how everyone across the UK can connect with nature and experience the mental health benefits wherever they live.”
Some of the ways people can participate in Mental Health Awareness Week:
- During Mental Health Awareness Week, why not try to make a habit each day of connecting to the nature in your local area? Stop to listen to the birdsong, smell the freshly cut grass, take care of a house plant, notice any trees, flowers or animals nearby. Take a moment to appreciate these connections.
- Share images/videos/or just sound recordings of the nature on your doorstep (and how this made you feel) on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
- Use Mental Health Foundation resources in your family, school, workplace and community to join with thousands of people who will be finding new ways to connect with nature in their local environment.
For more information about this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week visit mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw or join the conversation on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
