Moving for mental health

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place this year from 13–19 May. The theme, as set by the Mental Health Foundation, is ‘Movement: moving for our mental health.’ This year, the Foundation says ‘We want you to move your way by finding something that moves your body and mind. Movement is important for our mental health. But so many of us struggle to move enough. We know there are many different reasons for this, so this Mental Health Awareness Week we want to help people to find moments for movement in their daily routines’.

According to NHS England (2024), social prescribing is an all-age, whole population approach that works well for people who have one or more long-term conditions, who need support with low level mental health issues, who are lonely or isolated and who have complex social needs that affect their wellbeing. The NHS Long Term Plan (2016) pledged more funding for social prescribing and its benefits for patients, families and communities, as a way of patients taking control of their own health.