To mark Mental Health Awareness Week (Monday 11 May to Sunday 17 May 2026), we’re reflecting on the British Science Association’s programmes and projects and their impact on mental health. This year’s Awareness Week theme, ‘Action’, prompts us to consider how we’ve explored mental health and improved wellbeing in our communities through science.
The Ideas Fund
The Ideas Fund is a grants programme, managed by the British Science Association and funded by Wellcome, which pairs community groups with researchers to develop, test, and implement ideas focused on improving mental wellbeing.
Earlier this year, stories and experiences from one of The Ideas Fund projects exploring how to better support families living with acquired brain injury in Hull, England, were shared with a global audience in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Dr Alex Wray worked alongside the P.A.U.L for Brain Recovery charity and 13 families to understand their experiences and challenges of living with acquired brain injury.
P.A.U.L. for Brain Recovery was the only charity invited to address an international audience of rehabilitation experts at the recent 19th World Congress of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine in Marrakesh.
In this blog post, Dr Wray, Nathalie Martin, the charity’s Service Delivery Manager, and Emma Branch, Family Support Worker, reflect on their experience of working with the Fund and bringing these families’ voices to a global stage.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE IDEAS FUND
CREST Awards
CREST, the British Science Association’s flagship education scheme, encourages young people to think and behave like scientists and engineers through working on open-ended, investigative projects.
Nikola, then a 15-year-old student, completed a Silver CREST Award project titled, ‘Adolescent Mental Health Room Design’. Sharing her experiences with us, she explained that she particularly enjoyed the design process, which showed how the design and colour of a room can positively impact mental health.
‘Creating knowledge together’ essay series
In 2025, the British Science Association published a series of essays that amplify voices often left out of traditional research spaces. The essays were created in collaboration with the fantastic communities and organisations that participated with us throughout the project and was supported by our partners UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
The essay series draws together diverse perspectives from across the community and research landscapes to a broad-ranging collection of personal accounts, experiences and narratives that amplify the voices of those directly engaged in this work.
In one essay, Dr Tamanda Walker, Founder and Director of Roots & Rigour, shared her personal experience working with Black Thrive Birmingham Community Assembly and several research and data initiatives designed to challenge power imbalances and bring Black and other racially minoritised communities into the heart of research agenda-setting.
Her essay also discusses the power of community in black maternal health through Maternity Ambassadors for Change, a group of Black mothers in Birmingham, improving the experiences of Black women on their pregnancy, birth and postnatal journeys. They developed a community-led research project, prioritising the agency and wellness of Black mothers.
Read the black community power essay
READ MORE ABOUT THE ESSAY SERIES
Smashing Stereotypes
Our Smashing Stereotypes campaign celebrates the diverse people and careers in science and engineering who challenge long-standing stereotypes about what it means to work in science. Smashing Stereotypes consists of a collection of stories from individuals and teams that we hope will spark a change in perceptions of people and careers in STEM.
Dr Nic Bonne took part in the 2025 campaign. He’s a blind astronomer dedicated to making space science accessible. Growing up stargazing in Australia, he overcame challenges to earn his PhD and now leads the Tactile Universe, creating multisensory resources for blind and visually impaired learners. Nic’s journey is proof that you should never give up on your dreams and keep believing in yourself.
During Nic’s PhD, he was struggling and was afraid to ask for help, eventually leaving the programme. After finally getting support for his mental health he completed it two years later. “Not everything is straightforward,” he told us. “My journey certainly wasn’t, and there were clear challenges. But the second time around, I understood myself better: I knew when to ask for help and when to push through independently to gain a sense of achievement.”
Pearl Ayem, another 2025 profile, is a physical climate scientist,transforming climate data into real-world impact. Born in India and raised in Canada, her love for nature led her to atmospheric science, where she models climate risks for businesses.
As a climate change advocate, Pearl is not without moments of eco-anxiety, questioning whether her efforts will really lead to significant change. “For me, the need to preserve our planet is obvious: it’s a delicate ecosystem, and disrupting it has dire consequences. But not everyone sees it that way.”
Read Pearl Ayem's full profile
Pearl also wrote a blog about navigating eco-anxiety in the face of the climate change crisis.
She shares words of hope and reminds us that eco-anxiety is real and valid. She encourages us to channel fear into taking action, and recognising when to pause, without guilt or the sense that you're not doing enough.