by Liz Fletcher
Sport for Confidence System Partner Lead & Occupational Therapist
Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 has arrived with renewed hope and a compelling theme: "Movement: Moving More for Our Mental Health." Across the UK, communities are recognising the extraordinary power physical activity holds, not only for our physical health but profoundly for our mental and emotional wellbeing.
Yet amidst this optimism, we face stark realities. The British Medical Association’s recent report, "It's Broken," underscores serious systemic challenges: chronic underfunding, severe workforce shortages, fragmented services, inadequate preventative strategies, and the disproportionate impact on marginalised communities. These are not abstract issues; they impact us directly through our friends, families, colleagues, and neighbours daily.
Could an essential part of the solution lie beyond traditional healthcare, within communities, through movement and active social connections?
The Transformative Power of Movement
Through my roles within the NHS and organisations like Sport for Confidence, I've seen how physical activity is an incredibly effective pathway to recovery and resilience. Movement is not merely about fitness; it re-establishes connections within communities, nurtures social relationships, builds self-esteem, and revives personal purpose.
Take Pete's inspiring journey. Initially reluctant, Pete engaged in an educational physical activity programme (like the SPACES program see link) and found camaraderie within the group. This supportive environment fostered his confidence, eventually igniting a passion for weightlifting. Physical activity became a gateway not only to improved health but crucially, provided a network to which he felt a sense of belonging and support which support increased confidence, motivation and a sense of hope, all of which contributed to him to regain employment. Stories like Pete's aren’t unique, careful use of physical activity becomes a powerful tool which can profoundly impact peoples lives.
Building Social Capital through Community Connections
Organisations such as Sheffield Flourish exemplify the immense value of community-driven mental health support. Sheffield Flourish creates inclusive spaces that foster creativity, social interactions, and emotional wellbeing, empowering individuals to regain control and thrive. Initiatives such as peer support groups, creative storytelling, and community gardening highlight how strong community ties and social capital directly enhance mental health.
Likewise, the Connecting People model illustrates how crucial social networks are to mental wellbeing. By strategically fostering community connections and enhancing social capital, this approach reduces isolation, strengthens resilience, and supports sustained recovery.
Valuing Lived Experiences
Innovative programmes like SPACES further reinforce the importance of integrating lived experience into mental health interventions. By actively involving individuals living with severe mental illness in designing physical activity programmes, these initiatives ensure interventions are truly empowering, respectful, and responsive to participants' needs.
Additionally, the charity Mind champions inclusive physical activity. Mind acknowledges that starting movement-based activities during challenging times can feel overwhelming, yet even gentle activities like short walks, gardening, or yoga can yield significant mental health benefits. Encouraging these manageable steps from sedentary to slightly more active lifestyles can dramatically enhance mental resilience and emotional wellbeing.
Moving Forward, Together
The potential of physical activity integrated with robust community support as central to mental health care is immense. Achieving this vision requires sustained commitment, collective action, and collaboration across communities, health professionals, and policymakers.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, we can collectively commit to transforming awareness into lasting change. Advocating for well-funded, integrated, and person-centred mental health systems that embed physical activity within care pathways can foster communities actively invested in holistic wellbeing. There are plenty of organisations which know how to achieve this, we just need to turn the alternative and parallel organisations (see really interesting report below) into the mainstream.
Together, let's reimagine mental health support, prioritising movement, community connection, and social capital to build a healthier, more resilient UK.
Interested in Exploring Further?
Explore these resources:
Let's move forward, together, towards better mental health.
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