Taking action for mental health - Join us during Mental Health Awareness Week

11 May 26

Mental Health Awareness Week runs from Monday 11 May to Sunday 17 May. This year’s theme is about taking action to support good mental health.

Taking action on your mental health can be big or small. It could be looking after your own wellbeing, checking in on a friend or learning more about mental health and how to help others. To mark the week, our Talking Therapies team are running a range of free events and webinars open to the public.

Graphic for Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 showing a wooden brain-shaped jigsaw with one missing piece beside it, on a dark surface.

Meet us in your local community

Talking Therapies will be located at hospital sites to raise awareness, share information and say hello. You do not need to book – just pop along.

Tuesday 12 May

9am–3pm – Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford

Wednesday 13 May

10.30am–1.30pm – Lister Hospital, Stevenage
11am–2.30pm – St Albans City Hospital

Friday 15 May

· 4:15pm - "4.5k Your Way" Community Walk: Camelot Rugby Club, HP1 2AS

Our teams will be there to talk about mental health, local services and ways to support your wellbeing.

Free live wellbeing webinars

Talking Therapies is also hosting a programme of free, live and interactive webinars. Each session focuses on practical wellbeing support and uses evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques, to help you build skills for everyday life.

Monday 11 May

How to cope with stress – 10am
Improving body image – 3pm

Tuesday 12 May

Living well with a long-term physical health condition – 10am
Dealing with depression – 5.30pm

Wednesday 13 May

Mental Health Awareness Training – 10am

Thursday 14 May

Bereavement – living with grief and loss – 1pm

All sessions are free, but booking is required. Each webinar includes time for questions and discussion in a safe and supportive environment.

To book onto a webinar visit: www.hpft-talkingtherapies.nhs.uk/mental-health-awareness-week

Mental Health Awareness Training – learn how to support others

As part of the week, Talking Therapies is offering a dedicated online Mental Health Awareness Training workshop on Wednesday 13 May from 10am to 11am.

This session raises awareness of common mental health problems and helps people feel more confident supporting colleagues, service users, friends, and family who may be struggling.

The training covers:

Key factors that can affect mental health
Common signs and symptoms of mental health difficulties
How to start supportive and sensitive conversations
Practical steps you can take to help someone and build trust

The session also includes information about NHS Talking Therapies and how people can be supported to engage with local mental health services.

To register for the training visit: Webinar Registration - Zoom

Take action with us

Mental Health Awareness Week is about turning understanding into action. Whether you attend a webinar, drop by one of our community events or share information with someone who may need it, every action counts.

Related Pages

Taking action for mental health - Join us during Mental Health Awareness Week