This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week, and the theme for 2025 is one that speaks to the heart of wellbeing: “community".
Poor mental health is now the largest single contributor to ill-health in the UK, and the strength of our communities plays a vital role in addressing it. Thriving, supportive communities are known to protect and promote good mental health — but in recent years, poverty and inequality have steadily eroded the fabric of many such communities.
As Naturists, we know we can’t fix the global economy. But we can do our part to challenge inequality and build inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued.
Naturism offers a unique model of community, one in which status, background, or identity simply don’t define you. Everyone is welcome, and everyone is equal. That radical sense of inclusion is one reason why, time and again, minority communities who have faced exclusion or persecution are more strongly represented at Naturist events than in the general population. They come because they find something in Naturism they don’t often find elsewhere: a genuine, judgement-free welcome.
And that’s something we are proud of and committed to advancing further.
Mental Health Awareness Week is a time not only to reflect on what challenges our mental health, but also on what protects it. A strong, kind, and inclusive community is one of the most powerful forms of protection we have.
Let’s stand with those who face discrimination. Let’s call out abusive behaviour when we see it. And let’s continue to nurture communities, like those found in Naturism, where everyone can belong.
Follow more on how Naturism can help our mental health on Instagram.
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