Across East Kent people “Take Action” to support Mental Health Awareness Week 2026

With this year’s national theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 centred on “Take Action,” people from across East Kent responded in great numbers to help raise awareness and support and raise funds for East Kent Mind.

Our ‘Wear It Blue’ campaign is designed to spark conversations about mental health and wellbeing. Local barbers, hair salons, schools, businsses and sports teams came together to support our annual #WearItBlue initiative.

Staff at local businesses across the region dressed in blue to raise awareness and encourage dialogue. Businesses and supporters organised a range of events, including bake sales, yoga and meditation sessions, and offering customer discounts, all while proudly wearing the Mind blue.

Mental Health Awareness Week began in East Kent with the launch of a new school service for secondary schools which was piloted at Herne Bay High School. The team delivered a new Everyday Mental Health session to 25 students who then had the option to be trained as East Kent Mind Wellbeing Ambassadors. The team will return to the school in July to deliver the Everyday Mental Health session to the entire school.

Part of the initiative includes setting a campus-wide challenge to students this term with the task being to design the trophy for this year’s Kent Mental Wellbeing Awards. Please keep an eye on this website and @KentMWAwards social media for the finalised designs in the summer.

On Wednesday, Dame Kelly Holmes helped to celebrate the work of our Armed Forces Connector Karen Brinkman. Karen had been nominated for A Million Acts of Hope for her work supporting veterans across East Kent. A Million Acts of Hope is a UK-wide campaign celebrating everyday acts of kindness, care, connection and hope.

Karen was surprised with a visit from legendary Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes and the A Million Acts of Hope film crew, during the Thanet Female Veterans Group trip to Chatham Historic Dockyard.

Dame Kelly Holmes and A Million Acts of Hope

Bringing Mental Health Awareness Week to a close was our Rise & Run 5km fun run in Tankerton on Sunday 17 May. Over 120 runners took part on the seafront course to raise funds for East Kent Mind. The event was waved off by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr Alister Brady, and raised more than £2,500 for the charity’s mental health services.

Rise&Run in Tankerton

Simon Dolby, Development Lead for Mind in Bexley, said: “Thanks to everyone across East Kent who came together to support Mental Health Awareness Week and our #WearItBlue campaign.

“We continue to receive such fantastic support from businesses, schools and other organisations across the local area. Supporting mental health shouldn’t just be a one-week event, and we all need to continue to let people know there is help and support available in East Kent all year round.”