May is a month that is jam packed with Health and Wellbeing awareness promotions and days covering a vast spectrum of diseases and areas of interest. Below is your heads-up calendar for the month ahead.
- Make May Purple: Action on Stroke Month: annual awareness event organised by the Stroke Society. Awareness and fund raising events are themed with all things purple.
- National Walking Month: walking is a great way to exercise. This initiative is promoted by the Living Streets organisation and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to spread the word about the health benefits of walking. People can sign up to the Just Walk pledge to raise money for BHF.
- Local and Community History Month: lots of people get a great sense of wellbeing from their hobbies which is the reason I have included information on this initiative.
- Sun Awareness Week 03-09 May: this campaign is managed by the British Association of Dermatologists to raise awareness of what causes skin cancer and how it can be prevented.
- Deaf Awareness Week 04-09 May: this initiative is organised in the UK by the Deaf Council. The theme for this year is ‘Coming Through It Together’.
- Viral Meningitis Awareness Week 04-09 May: this is an international initiative aiming to raise awareness of viral meningitis, its symptoms and how it affects sufferers. The organisation behind it in the UK is Meningitis Now and the theme for this year is ‘Be Vocal About Viral’.
- Mental Health Awareness Week 10-16 May: organised by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF), this year’s theme is ‘Nature’. The MHF explains ‘Nature is so central to our psychological and emotional health, that it’s almost impossible to realise good mental health for all without a greater connection to the natural world’. To learn more, follow the link.
- National Vegetarian Week, 10-16 May: promoted by the Vegetarian Society, this year we’re being encouraged to take the Veggie 123 Challenge. To learn more, follow the link.
- World Lupus Day, May 10: an international initiative organised to raise awareness of the debilitating disease, lupus, which is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs).
- Dying Matters Week 11-17 May: organised by Dying Matters, the aim is to bring conversations and talking about the subject of death and bereavement into the national agenda. They believe if death isn’t such a taboo subject, then people will lead happier lives.
- National Children’s Day, 16 May: this day is all about the importance of a healthy childhood, and how we need to protect the rights and freedoms of children in order to ensure that they can grow into happy, healthy adults.
- Dementia Action Week, 17-23 May: organised by the Alzheimer’s Society, the theme this year is ‘Cure the Care System’. To learn more, follow the link.
- National Smile Month 17 May-17 June: organised by the Oral Health Foundation, it aims to spread the message that oral health plays a vital part in overall health.
- Learning at Work Week, 17-23 May: this year’s theme is ‘Made For Learning’. Our T&OD are putting together events for Bag Week. Watch out on the University Comms Channel to learn more.
- Hats For Headway 21 May: Headway is the brain injuries association. Their message is that brain injury can challenge every aspect of your life – walking, talking, thinking and feeling – and the losses can be severe and permanent. Hats for Headway is their fundraising day. To learn more, follow the link.
- Go Paddling Week, 23-30 May: promoting the joys of water sports – you know what to do to find out more!
- The Great British Spring Clean 28 May-13 June: promoted by Keep Britain Tidy, this year we’re being invited to join the #MillionMileMission to clear litter off streets, parks and beaches. That’s an activity which will get your healthy while benefitting the community and the environment!