Connecting Voices, Strengthening Minds: The National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum

Across the UK, rural and island communities face distinct mental health challenges shaped by geography, workforce pressures, climate change and inequality. At the same time, these places are rich in resilience, innovation and community connection. Hosted by Change Mental Health, the National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum brings organisations together to turn shared challenges into shared solutions, connecting practice, evidence and lived experience to improve mental wellbeing beyond urban centres.

The Forum provides a collaborative space for charities, community groups, public bodies, employers and researchers working in rural and remote contexts. While rooted in Scotland, its learning, discussions and networks are increasingly relevant across the UK, where many rural issues, distance from services, stigma, recruitment and retention, and environmental change are widely shared. The Forum is a practical network where rural voices shape policy conversations and organisations learn from one another to strengthen local impact.

Recent sessions have already demonstrated this value. Earlier in the programme, contributors reflected on Breathing Space Day, sharing insights into how national helplines and crisis support can be promoted and adapted for rural contexts. Research on Climate Change Anxiety and Mental Health in Rural Areas, presented by the University of Glasgow, explored the psychological impacts of environmental change - learning all too familiar with farming, coastal and island communities across the UK. A further session on Suicide Prevention Communications and Media in Rural Areas examined how sensitive, effective messaging can reduce harm in smaller communities where privacy is limited and narratives travel fast.

The forthcoming programme continues to widen the lens to inclusion, workforce wellbeing and community resilience. ENABLE, will explore the mental health challenges and supports for people with learning disabilities in rural areas. Those issues are familiar to services across the UK where specialist provision is often scarce. The Refugee Council will share learning on Supporting Refugees in Rural Communities, offering insights relevant to towns and villages across the UK that are welcoming new arrivals and responding to trauma, integration and access needs.

Workforce mental health is another priority. The British Hydropower Association, through CEO Kate Gilmartin, will discuss Supporting the Workforce in Rural Areas, reflecting challenges common to remote, safety-critical and environmentally exposed industries. Finally, SeeMe will focus on Supporting Ethnic Minority Communities in Rural Areas, tackling stigma and barriers to support. All sessions will share insights with clear relevance across the UK.

Free to join and with a clear focus on rural and island communities, Forum members gain from a range of benefits: access to shared evidence and practice, opportunities to influence national policy thinking, and a supportive network that understands rural realities. By joining, you help ensure rural mental health is a shared priority, shaped by those who know rural life best.

Learn more about the National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum here https://changemh.org/forum and join directly by contacting [email protected]

Jim Hume, Director of Public Affairs & Communications, Convener of the National Rural & Islands Mental Health Forum.