Five years of Great Mental Health Day: a movement born in Haringey

Great Mental Health Day 2026 is taking place on Friday, 30 January.
As it has grown into a London-wide movement, the core mission remains the same: bringing support into the places where people live, work, and connect. In the latest Thrive LDN blog, Dr Chantelle Fatania, Consultant in Public Health, Haringey Council reflects on how the event continues to shine a light on the community spaces where trust is built.

By Dr Chantelle Fatania, Consultant in Public Health, Haringey Council

It is hard to believe that we are approaching the fifth annual Great Mental Health Day.

Looking back to where it started, as a local celebration right here in the London Borough of Haringey, it is incredibly moving to see how this initiative has grown into a London-wide movement, facilitated regionally by Thrive LDN.

But while the scale has changed, the spirit remains the same. It has always been framed around a simple, powerful message: that mental health support belongs to everyone, and there is great local support available right across the region.

Trust is the currency of public health

Throughout my work in public health, including supporting Haringey’s Great Mental Health programme, one lesson has come through louder than any other: trust is the currency of care.

For many of our residents, particularly those who have faced systemic exclusion or discrimination, walking into a statutory service can feel daunting. The barriers aren’t just logistical; they are emotional and historical.

That is why, for Great Mental Health Day 2026, we are focusing on everyday spaces, everyday support. We are celebrating the trusted intermediaries – the community groups, faith leaders, and local champions – who act as the bridge between isolation and help.

I saw this power in action just last year at the Tottenham Community Sports Centre.

It wasn’t a clinical setting. It was a community hub, buzzing with life. There, a group of Haringey GP Federation wellbeing advocates and health coaches joined forces with ABC Parents. Alongside many other local groups and 100s of residents.

Put simply, it was a room of neighbours showing up for neighbours. It was about demystifying the support on offer, taking the stigma out of the conversation, and doing it in a space where people already felt safe and welcome.

This is what we mean when we say “everyday spaces.” It is about meeting people where they are – be that on the sports pitch, at the school gate, or in the community hall.

Get involved with Great Mental Health Day 2026

As we mark this 5-year milestone on Friday, 30 January 2026, I am proud that Haringey continues to lead by example. But we know there is more to do.

We need to ensure that these everyday spaces are not just celebrated once a year, but resourced and recognised as a vital part of our health infrastructure. They are the entry points where silence is broken and, for many, recovery begins.

So, this January, I invite you to join us. Whether you are in Haringey or Hounslow, Richmond or Redbridge, find your local event on the Thrive LDN website. Connect with your community.

And remember: support is here, and it starts closer to home than you think.