Be wellbeing and mental health aware this year – awareness dates for your calendar

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.

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

1 to 30 November – Movember – the time for men to unite, taking on mental health, suicide, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Moustaches optional! Find links to services offering support for men in our MindWell directory and search the database from Men’s Health Unlocked.

1 to 7 November – Befriending Week – the national campaign celebrating and raising awareness of befriending and the positive impact it has on individuals and communities. Age UK, Leeds Mind, Carers Leeds and Being You Leeds all have volunteer befrienders.

4 to 8 November – International Stress Awareness Week and 6 November – National Stress Awareness Day – find resources to help you manage Stress and feeling pressure on MindWell.

5 November – Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes Night – look for events around Leeds on the Yorkshire Evening Post website.

10 November – Remembrance Sunday and 11 November – Armistice Day – events marking the end of the First World War, but also remembering those from subsequent conflicts. Look out for events at local war memorials and in Leeds city centre. Find links to services offering support to veterans on MindWell.

11 to 15 November – Anti-Bullying Week – the 2024 theme is ‘choose respect’.

13 November – World Kindness Day – make kindness the norm and explore our MindWell kindness resources for ways to spread kindness to others, ourselves and the world.

14 to 20 November- Baby Week Leeds – Baby Week takes place in cities around the UK, but was born in Leeds! Find out more about local and national events on their website and on social media @babyweekuk. Explore our MindWell section Pregnancy and becoming a parent for resources, links and local services.

18 to 24 November 2024 – National Self-Care Week – this year’s theme is Mind and Body Find campaign resources on the the Self-Care Forum website and take a look at MindWell’s self-care printable resources for ideas.

19 November – International Men’s Day – the international theme is Men’s Health Champions, but the UK usually promotes a wider range of men’s health issues and causes. Look our for Men’s Health Unlocked in Leeds events and news, or follow them on X @mhuleeds.

21 November – Carers’ Rights Day – this year’s theme is ‘recognising your rights’. Keep up-to-date with Carers Leeds for local events.

25 November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and 25 November to 10 December – 16 days of activism

1 January – New Year’s Day- explore Leeds Inspired for what’s going on. Don’t forget our Winter Wellbeing top 10 tips to help you look after yourself this time of year. You can also find services open on 1 January on our Christmas and New Year opening times page.

January – Dry January – take on 31 days alcohol-free with Alcohol Change UK for a total body and mind reset. Exlore our Drink less alcohol pages for links to advice and local services.

January – Red January – set daily movement goals to start your year being active. Red January aims to improve wellbeing through physical movement, starting every year with a campaign to make winter a positive and energising experience. Find links to advice and local groups and services on our Exercise and more your way pages.

20 January – Blue Monday – read more on the Mental Health Foundation website. Our Winter Wellbeing tips can help. You can also visit our Depression and feeling low section for self-help information and links to local services.

20 to 26 January – Health Information Week – a national, multi-sector campaign promoting high-quality information for patients and the public. Yes, it used to be in the summer, but it’s moved! For 2025, the daily themes are:

• Monday 20 January – Winter Health
• Tuesday 21 January – Mental Health​
• Wednesday 22 January – Wellbeing
• Thursday 23 January – Health Literacy and Misinformation
• Friday 24 January – Digital Literacy

Find resources to help you plan your week on the Health Information Week website.

27 January – Parent Mental Health Day – the theme will be ‘Creating Positive Relationships’. Find links to support groups for parents on MindWell.

6 February – Time to Talk Day – the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. Happening every year, it’s a day for friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives. Find ideas on Mind’s website and download free resources from the Time to Talk Day website. As the day gets closer, make sure you’re up-to-date with the Time to Talk newsletter – sign up at the bottom of their homepage.

3 to 9 February – Children’s Mental Health Week – created by Place2Be to empower, equip and give a voice to all children and young people in the UK. The 2025 focus is Know Yourself, Grow Yourself, embracing self-awareness and explore what it means to children and young people.

9 to 15 February – Random Acts of Kindness Week and 17 February – Random Acts of Kindness Day – help make kindness the norm with free resources and ideas for school, home and work.

14 February – Valentine’s Day – in recent years there’s also Galentine’s, Palentine’s, and more, encouraging us to celebrate friends, and focussing on love rather than romance. It’s a good day to spread a little love, but some people can feel more lonely – read more on the Mind website.

23 February – Helplines Awareness Day – promoting the work of these essential services. Helplines.org says helplines are like secret superheroes, “supporting people day and night to help them through the most difficult of times”. What a great description!

24 February to 2 March – Eating Disorders Awareness Week – the 2025 theme is ‘anyone can be affected by an eating disorder’. Keep updated from Beat, the Eating Disorders charity, by signing up for their newsletter.