Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

One of the best things you can do for your mental health is have strong connections with other people. Friends, family, neighbours, colleagues… being part of a community can provide a sense of belonging, a feeling of safety and a place to get support during tough times.

To mark this year’s #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek (12-18 May), which celebrates the power of community, we wanted to share how we’ve been supporting residents in Newham – one of London’s most diverse boroughs.

As London’s digital mental wellbeing service, Good Thinking ran a Small Grants Programme across Newham in 2024. The purpose of the programme was to train representatives of 10 voluntary and community organisations as Good Thinking ‘super users’ so they could spread the word about the free wellbeing resources we offer within the community and reduce the stigma often associated with seeking help for mental health concerns.

In addition to this, we’ve produced a series of quick guides for supporting others. Each guide includes three simple steps to help you check in with other people regularly and see how they are.

Here’s how two organisations that took part in the Small Grants Programme used the funding to bring local residents together for better mental wellbeing.

Aishah Help is a non-profit organisation in Newham that tackles critical social issues, including pensioner poverty, digital inclusion and violence against women and girls.

It used a Good Thinking Small Grant to organise two befriending events that addressed social isolation and promoted good mental wellbeing among older adults.

More than 60 people attended the events and took part in activities that encouraged social interaction and emotional support. Aishah Help’s Good Thinking ‘super user’ explained to the participants how our free resources could help them to take charge of their own mental health.

Aishah Help notes that participants gained a sense of purpose by sharing their life experiences at the event and formed lasting friendships.

Jo, a 72-year-old Newham resident, had been experiencing feelings of loneliness and isolation following the loss of her husband two years ago. Living alone with limited family nearby, her social interactions became infrequent and she began feeling disconnected from the community. These challenges affected her mental wellbeing, leaving her unsure of where to seek support or how to manage her feelings.

"The event gave me a reason to step out and connect again, and learning to use the Good Thinking app has been a great tool to help me take charge of my own wellbeing. It’s simple to use and makes me feel like support is just a click away,” she comments.

Inspire Women Men and Children supports BAME communities in Newham and Tower Hamlets and migrants and refugees arriving in the UK.

It put a Good Thinking Small Grant towards running in-person workshops and online webinars where people could address any mental health concerns in a safe and inclusive environment.

A volunteer was trained as a Good Thinking ‘super user’ to promote our free wellbeing resources, facilitate discussions about mental health and train other staff and volunteers. Residents from diverse cultural groups, including Afro-Caribbean, South Asian and refugee communities, took part in the programme.

Sarah, a 38-year-old mother of two from Newham, was one of the participants. Originally from South Asia, she has faced significant mental health challenges, including anxiety and social isolation, which were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having limited access to mental health resources and experiencing cultural stigma, Sarah found it difficult to seek help or talk openly about her challenges.

“I never thought I could feel comfortable talking about mental health but this programme has changed that for me. The support I received has been life-changing and I finally feel like I have tools to manage my anxiety,” she says. “The facilitators were so understanding and patient. They didn’t just provide information; they really made me feel like I wasn’t alone in this journey.”

LAST REVIEWED 12 May 2025

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025: How Good Thinking is supporting communities in east London

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