World Mental Health Day 2026 | News and Events

World Mental Health Day is an annual awareness day, set up by the World Federation for Mental Health to raise awareness and mobilise efforts in support of mental health.

This year’s theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” puts lived experience at the heart of the conversation.

For those of us working in mental health services, it’s an opportunity to reflect on the difference we can make through the care we provide, the conversations we have and how well we listen to the people who use our services.

Every conversation matters. By listening to lived experience, we can help turn real voices into real change.

 

Recovery Academy launch

Our Recovery Academy offers free courses and resources to support mental health, wellbeing, and recovery that are co-developed by experts with learnt experience and those with personal experience of mental health difficulties and/or addiction.

The Recovery Academy officially launched its brand-new autumn-winter term on Monday 5 October 2026 ahead of World Mental Health Day 2026.

 

If you are interested in learning more read more here.

 

In an article and news piece on BBC North West on the 1 October, Michaela shared her experience with our Building Attachments and Bonds Service (BABS) in Wigan, and how the team supported her after the birth of her son.

 

Read the BBC news article here.

 

Recovery Pathways is a Trust citywide service consisting of weekly creative group sessions for people experiencing mental health difficulties. Our group sessions are led by Wellbeing Arts Tutors and cover a broad range of activities such as ceramics, horticulture and photography.

We're sharing quotes from our Recovery Pathways creative participants about their experiences of the sessions at Recovery Pathways, so keep an eye on our socials to find out the impact of these sessions.

Learn more about Recovery Pathways here

 

People with lived experience bring invaluable knowledge and insight to mental health care. By listening, working collaboratively and creating meaningful opportunities for people to influence decisions and shape services, we can improve care, challenge stigma and ensure the voices of the people we support are heard.

To find out more about opportunities for the people you support to get involved, contact the Service User and Carer Engagement Team at ServiceUsersandCarers@gmmh.nhs.uk or visit: Roles for service users and carers | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT

 

This year, we have been piloting new workshops for colleagues to help us better support our mental health through Mental Maintenance. We have held two workshops so far and have another two before the end of the year when we will review how best to offer these sessions in 2027. 

The workshops and supporting resources aim to aid colleagues to regain and sustain a sense of mental wellbeing. The Mental Maintenance approach helps to create a shift to viewing mental health as something that needs to be maintained rather than only attended to in a crisis.

 

Feedback from participants so far:

“I liked hearing other people’s opinions about how to cope and what they struggle with, makes you feel less alone.”

“I liked learning about the additional ideas that I had not come across before”

 

If you need urgent mental health support, for example if you feel mentally unsafe or severely distressed, you can quickly and easily access support by calling NHS 111 and selecting mental health option 2.

It’s available 24/7, free of charge and you can call for yourself or someone else.

Community spaces across Greater Manchester known as ‘Crisis Cafés’ or ‘Listening Lounges’ offer a safe, comfortable, and confidential environment for anyone over the age of 18, who is feeling low, anxious, struggling with negative thoughts, or just wants to talk to someone during evenings or weekends.  

Find out more about our local crisis drop-ins here.