Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event when there is an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. The Mental Health Foundation started the event 21 years ago. Each year the Foundation continues to set the theme, organise and host the week. The event has grown to become one of the biggest awareness weeks across the UK and globally.

Why loneliness? 

Loneliness is affecting more and more of us in the UK and has had a huge impact on our physical and mental health during the pandemic. Our connection to other people and our community is fundamental to protecting our mental health and we need to find better ways of tackling the epidemic of loneliness. We can all play a part in this.    

So, this Mental Health Awareness Week, we are raising awareness of the impact of loneliness on our mental wellbeing and the practical steps we can take to address it.    

Reducing loneliness is a major step towards a mentally healthy society.

Are you feeling lonely?

We've put together some useful sites and resources that may help you with feeling lonely: 

- Young Minds - A guide for young people on Loneliness

- 15 things to do if you're felling lonely 

- The Children's Society on Loneliness