Exeter marks World Mental Health Day and World Homelessness Day with city events

Exeter is marking World Mental Health Day and World Homelessness Day today (10 October) with a series of events and activities aimed at raising awareness, tackling stigma, and supporting local residents.

At Princesshay, local homelessness charities including Julian House, St Petrock’s and Crosslines are hosting a community event for World Homelessness Day. 

Running from 11am to 3pm, the event featured live music, interactive art, and talks from experts and people with lived experience of homelessness. 

A drop-in session also provided information on local housing services, mental health support, and opportunities to get involved.

Carol Brinson, Service Manager at Julian House, said: “The aim of the event is to reduce stigma, showcase lived experiences and raise awareness about the services available in Exeter. Ending homelessness starts with compassion, action and the belief that every person matters.”

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Rough sleeping has risen by 8 per cent across the South West in the past year, the third highest rate in the UK after London and the South East. Julian House supported 785 people last year to move into safer and more independent living.

Local resident, Tom Williams, added: “Homelessness is something you can see every day in the city. It’s good to know there are services here trying to make a difference.” 

Alongside this, World Mental Health Day is being marked across the city with activities and resources from local organisations. 

A University of Exeter spokesman said: “The wellbeing of our students is our top priority all year round, and we’ve taken the opportunity this World Mental Health Day to highlight our own wellbeing services, and remind them of the free digital mental health platforms they can access.  This year, we’re proud to have been awarded a University Mental Health Charter award by the charity Student Minds. We continuously encourage everyone in our community to prioritise their mental health throughout the year and to reach out if they need to.”

University of Exeter student, Emily Harris said that “It can be hard to talk about mental health, especially for young people. Events like this make it feel more normal to have those conversations and ask for help.”

In the University, there is a health and wellness-oriented club called Body Society, where they host daily fitness, yoga and pilates classes for the students. A spokesperson for Body Society told Exeter Today: “Bodysoc’s main mission is to provide fitness and wellbeing for everyone - we invite any and everyone to come along and lose yourself in fun, casual exercise classes. We leave all stresses at the door and lose ourselves in exercise to remind us to breaks and uni just isn’t the end of the world!”

The Devon Mental Health Alliance, a partnership of five charities, is highlighting the importance of accessible mental health support. 

A spokesperson for the Devon Mental Health Alliance said: “We are working together for better mental health across Devon. Our Mental Health and Recovery drop-ins, as well as our Learning Network Calendar of free and low-cost activities, are there to help people find the right support and a place to belong. World Mental Health Day is a reminder that mental health is a universal right - and that support should be accessible to everyone.”

With the global theme for this year emphasising mental health as a universal human right, local services such as Talkworks, Devon Partnership NHS Trust, and the Alliance are encouraging Exeter residents to reach out if they need help.

Together, the awareness days highlight the links between mental health and housing security, reflecting growing local efforts to address both issues through community support.