Join the MindWell team in marking important days throughout the year to promote mental health and wellbeing. From World Mental Health Day to Mental Health Awareness Week, World Suicide Prevention Day to Self-Care Week, there are many dates to keep in mind.

Awareness dates

Here’s a list of upcoming dates for the months ahead, along with a few reminders for the rest of the year.

September

10 September – World Suicide Prevention Day – with the theme set by the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2024 we’re ‘changning the narrative on suicide’.

22 September – Autumnal Equinox – a change in season can be a helpful reminder to update our self-care routines. Bring on the hot chocolate!

23 September – International Day of Sign Languages – seeing as it’s also Inclusion Week (see below), it’s good to remember that how important sign languages are in society.

23 to 29 September – National Inclusion Week – celebrating inclusion and action to create inclusive workplaces, for all marginalised groups. Why not find out about different languages and where you can learn more on the Leeds for Learning website?

And from September, colleges and Universities in Leeds start to welcome students from across Leeds, Yorkshire, the UK and internationally. Find out about term dates and freshers week events online.

October

1 to 31 October – Stoptober – returns each October to encourage and support smokers to quit for good. Resources are made available annually from the Department of Health and Social Care. Look out for 2024 resources coming soon and find local support with Leeds Stop Smoking service.

1 October – International Day of Older Persons – created by the United Nations, IDOP is supported in the UK by the Centre for Ageing Better and locally by Leeds Older People’s Forum. The 2024 UK theme is “The part we play”: Celebrating the integral role of older people in our communities.

9 to 15 October – Baby Loss Awareness Week – an opportunity to bring people together and give anyone touched by pregnancy and baby loss a safe and supportive space to share their experiences and feel that they are not alone.

10 October – World Mental Health Day – started by WHO, the theme for 2024 is ‘It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace.’ MindWell will be marking this day on social media and in our October newsletter.

12 to 19 October – National Hate Crime Awareness Week – engaging communities to report hate crime and work together.

18 October – World Menopause Day – raising awareness, breaking the stigma and highlighting the support available for improving health and wellbeing for those experiencing menopause.

27 October 2024 – clocks go back in the UK – another chance for a seasonal reminder to check in with our wellbeing routines in the colder and darker months!

29 October to 4 November –  Addiction Awareness Week – find out more from Action on Addiction and Forward Leeds locally.

31 October – Hallowe’en – West Yorkshire Police offer Hallowe’en safety advice

Coming up later in the year

There are always more dates we can mark in our calendars to come, so here’s a quick reminder for November and December:

  • 1 to 30 November – National Men’s Health Awareness Month and Movember
  • 1 to 7 November – Befriending Week
  • 2 November – National Stress Awareness Day
  • 5 November – Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes Night
  • 10 November – Remembrance Sunday and 11 November – Armistice Day
  • 13 November – World Kindness Day
  • 14 to 20 November- Baby Week Leeds
  • 18 to 24 November 2024 – National Self-Care Week
  • 19 November – International Men’s Day
  • 23 November – Carers’ Rights Day
  • 25 November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and 25 November to 10 December – 16 days of activism
  • 1 December – International Day of Disabled People (IDODP)
  • December – MindWell seasonal wellbeing campaign
  • 25 and 26 December – Bank Holidays for Christmas Day and Boxing Day

A helpful place to find out about health and wellbeing related awareness days is the NHS Employers calendar of national campaigns.