World Mental Health Day 2026
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.
It reminds us why good mental health is so important, and how we can prioritise it in our lives and communities. It’s also a moment to talk openly and listen to what others are experiencing.
Every conversation matters. By listening to people's experiences, we can help turn real voices into real change.
At GMMH, we provide a range of services for children, young people and adults.
Recovery Academy
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.
Michaela's story of our mother and baby services
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.
We provide specialist mother and baby services for people who need additional mental health care during pregnancy, around the time of having a baby and in early parenthood.
Recovery Pathways
Recovery Pathways is our 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.
Learn more about Recovery Pathways here
Lived Experience Partners
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
NHS 111
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.
