Mental Health Awareness Week 2025
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, a week of events and learning that has been running since 2001 and is designed to raise awareness of mental health conditions and treatment.
Mary at Alcester Warm Hub
Mental Health both in the workplace, in my volunteering roles and home/ family life has always been of importance to me. We know that health and wellbeing and the work/home environment we live in are key factors to improving our mental health and are all intertwined with one another.
Why did I want to train as a Mental Health First Aider? During my current role as Warm Hub Project Coordinator it has been important that we listen both to our organisers and to those that attend groups. All the Warm hubs are different and throughout my experiences in both leading one and being involved as an organiser I have been met with different situations and in some where I have wanted to be better prepared.
The role of being a Mental Health First Aider has meant that as well as being good at listening I have been able to take more of an active role which often requires more open conversations.
To know how to be effective in early intervention, recovery, training, signposting and by being able to give support should situations arise. It has been important to value my role as a Mental Health First Aider by continuously learning and in becoming more confident to make an impact both in the workplace and in the community.
It is with thanks to WRCC for supporting me to do this course.
Mary with volunteers at the Alcester Warm Hub
Mary with volunteers at Alcester Warm Hub
#ThisIsMyCommunity
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Week is “Community” which I feel really depicts what our Warm hubs are all about! In fact, on the campaign website I would encourage you to read of this fantastic article – “How to foster positive community in group settings“. It focuses on mental health within community groups.
This article really reflects on what can be learned throughout our Community Settings and Warm hubs spaces and how are mental health can be supported. Every Warm hub or Community space is met with different needs but what we do know is they are aiming for the same and I think we can take away three main points:
- Friendships and Fun
- Inclusivity
- Flexibility by good listening and in taking action
It is always great to hear positive feedback about what impact of a Warm hub has on its participants:
From a survey carried out: 92% of visitors to our Warm Welcome at our Community Hub felt more positive after attending
– Stratford Town Trust Community Hub
How are you engaging with Mental Health Awareness?
We’d love to hear your experiences and what your doing in your community!
To get ideas, please visit the website the Mental Health Awareness Week website and have a read of the this blog entitled “How community benefits your mental health” – there’s some great tips to get your conversations started.
Please use the hashtag #ThisIsMyCommunity in your social media posts, and contact warmhubs@wrccrural.org.uk to share your stories.