1 October 2025

This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day, on Friday 10 October 2025, is ‘access to services’. This highlights the importance of everyone knowing about resources that are available to help us keep ourselves well and how to access services for additional help should we need it.

Poor mental health is not inevitable, and World Mental Health Day, is an opportunity to talk about mental health and consider how, together, we can help everyone have better mental health.

In the Borders, we are proud to now have 28 organisations demonstrating their commitment to Mentally Healthy and Suicide Safer Communities through our Creating Hope Awards. These awards aim to:

  • Promote good mental health
  • Nurture positive environments within communities and create hope
  • Enable our local communities to have a clear understanding of suicide and its prevention, and be able to respond in helpful and informed ways when support is needed
  • Connect people to the information and support they need to be mentally healthy and suicide safer
  • Recognise, support and promote mentally healthy and suicide safer communities that are caring, compassionate and inclusive

The awards scheme includes free training that is open to any group or organisation in the Scottish Borders. The training has helped make our communities more well informed and confident so that they can either help people directly who might be struggling or signpost them to the most appropriate services available.

Steph MacKenzie, Health Improvement Specialist at NHS Borders, said: “We are delighted to have so many Borders clubs and organisations now dedicated to creating more welcoming, friendly and inclusive communities that promote good mental health. In the last few weeks, we have welcomed Lochcarron of Scotland in Selkirk, Cheviot Youth, Borders Community Action and Eastgate Theatre in Peebles into the Creating Hope Awards scheme. This is the only awards scheme of its kind in Scotland and it has been developed with local Borders’ people with lived experience. For World Mental Health Day we’d like to invite more groups, organisations, teams and businesses to sign up.

“This year’s theme is a good reminder for us to familiarise ourselves with where to turn if we are struggling and need help to stay well mentally. For example, you may consider getting in touch with our Wellbeing Service or visiting the Information Stations for Mental Health and Wellbeing drop-in service at local What Matters Hubs across the Borders. There is also more urgent help available if you are having a difficult time and your feelings are too much to handle.”

If you need urgent support, there are people here to help you right now:

  • Breathing Space: NHS 24 Breathing Space Advisers provide confidential support for people aged 16+ in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety. Call 0800 83 85 87, Monday - Thursday evenings (6pm - 2am) and Friday 6pm - Monday 6am (24hrs at weekends).
  • NHS 24 Mental Health Hub: For urgent support 24/7 call 111 and choose the option for the Mental Health Hub.
  • Samaritans: For help and support through difficult periods call the Samaritans 24-hour support service on 116 123.
  • Emergency services: If someone is seriously ill, injured or their life is at risk call 999 immediately.