Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 11–17 May, led by the Mental Health Foundation. This year’s theme is Take Action, encourages us to recognise how small, everyday actions can support good mental health.
Taking action doesn’t have to mean making big changes. Simple steps — like pausing, choosing a calm space, or picking up a supportive book — can help us feel more grounded and less overwhelmed. And while individual actions matter, wellbeing is strengthened when we come together and support one another.
To mark the week, the Library is highlighting how reading, quiet spaces, and mindful activities can help you take positive action for your mental wellbeing during busy university life.
Take action through reading: Reading for Wellbeing
Throughout Mental Health Awareness Week, you’ll find a Reading for Wellbeing book display in the library. The display features books from our Reading for Wellbeing collection, which includes titles on mental health, mindfulness, stress management, resilience, and uplifting reads.
Choosing to read — even briefly — can be a powerful small action. Reading can help slow your thoughts, provide reassurance, or offer a welcome escape. Alongside the in‑space display, you can also explore our Reading for Wellbeing reading list online, making it easy to browse, save, or revisit titles whenever you need them.
The wellbeing collection is permanently based in the Wellbeing Space, so it’s always there to support you beyond Mental Health Awareness Week.
The Library Wellbeing Space: taking action by taking a break
Taking action for your mental health can be as simple as giving yourself permission to pause.
Located on Level 2 of the Library, next to the Short Loan Collection, the Library Wellbeing Space is a dedicated area where staff and students can step away from study pressures and take time to recharge. The space includes:
- Comfortable seating, cushions, and blankets
- A peaceful environment with views across campus
- Wellbeing and leisure reading collections
- Space for quiet reflection and mindful activities
Even a short visit can help reset your focus and remind you that rest is an important part of learning and working well.
Small actions, shared impact: mindful activities in the library
This year’s Take Action theme also highlights the power of collective wellbeing. Many of the Library’s wellbeing activities are about doing something small, together.
You’ll find a range of screen‑free, low‑pressure activities available to use whenever the library is open:
- Jigsaws, which encourage focus, mindfulness, and a break from constant digital stimulation
- Colouring and creative materials, offering a calming way to reset without any pressure to be productive
- A Lego station, added in response to student feedback, providing a playful, hands‑on way to unwind
These simple activities show how small actions — shared in a calm, supportive space — can have a meaningful impact.
Wellbeing support beyond the library building
If you’re studying off campus or prefer digital resources, you can still take action for your wellbeing through the Virtual Library Wellbeing Space, available via the UniDesk Self‑Service Portal. This online space brings together wellbeing resources, mindful activities, and guidance that you can access anytime, anywhere.
Join us for Mental Health Awareness Week
Mental Health Awareness Week is a reminder that caring for our mental health is ongoing, and that wellbeing is built through everyday choices and shared support.
Between 11 and 17 May, we invite you to:
- Visit the Reading for Wellbeing display
- Explore or borrow from the wellbeing collection
- Spend time in the Library Wellbeing Space
- Take part in a mindful activity, even if only briefly
By taking small actions — and taking them together — we can help create a more supportive, balanced environment for everyone. The Library is here to support your wellbeing alongside your learning, this week and throughout the year.