Chelmsford For You supports Renew Counselling and Harry Flashman’s Tattoo Parlour to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2026
Renew is proud to be supporting Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, by partnering with Chelmsford For You and Harry Flashman’s Tattoo Parlour taking place from Monday 11 to Sunday 17 May.
Led by the Mental Health Foundation, this annual campaign brings people across the UK together to focus on mental wellbeing. This year’s theme, ‘Action’, encourages individuals and communities to take meaningful steps to support good mental health, highlighting the collective power of coming together.
In Chelmsford city centre, collaboration is at the heart of the business community. Chelmsford For You, as the Business Improvement District (BID), is proud to facilitate this spirit of partnership, supporting, promoting and celebrating the city.
To mark this year’s campaign, Chelmsford For You is working in partnership with Renew Counselling & Training, with support from Chelmsford City Council and city centre businesses to promote accessible mental health support for all.
Pop-Up Events Across the City
Throughout the week, Renew will host a series of pop-up stands across Chelmsford city centre:
- Tuesday 12 May (11am–3pm): John Lewis Chelmsford
- Wednesday 13 May (9am–5pm): Outside Barclays Chelmsford
- Saturday 17 May (9am–5pm): Bond Street Chelmsford (Concrete Canvas Street Party)
These welcoming spaces will offer creative, mood-boosting activities, along with opportunities to speak with the Renew team about counselling services, training programmes, or simply take a moment to pause and reflect.
Tattoo Fundraiser for Mental Health
Chelmsford-based tattoo studio, Harry Flashman’s Tattoo Studio, is also supporting the week with a special flash tattoo-a-thon on Sunday 17 May. The event will feature a curated selection of mental health-inspired designs, including semicolons and meaningful phrases. All proceeds from the day will be donated to Renew Counselling & Training, raising both funds and awareness for mental health support.
Art and Awareness through Concrete Canvas
This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week coincides with the Concrete Canvas Street Art Festival. Following the success of the 2024 festival—where a permanent mural linked to the global You Are Not Alone project, was created, another mural will be unveiled on one of Renew’s buildings, focusing on mental health.
Additional murals across the city centre will also carry positive mental health themes, bringing messages of hope, resilience and strength to Chelmsford’s streets.
Nikki Schuster, Chief Executive, Renew Counselling:
“Mental Health Awareness Week is an important opportunity for people across Chelmsford to pause and reflect on how we’re really doing. With the support of Chelmsford For You and local partners, we’re creating visible opportunities to talk openly about mental health, reduce stigma, and remind people that help is available locally. No one should feel they have to cope alone, and we hope this week encourages people to reach out and seek support when they need it.”
Kate Keys, Owner, Harry Flashman’s:
“As a studio, we see how powerful self-expression can be, and this event is a way for us to combine that with raising awareness for mental health. We’re proud to support Renew and contribute to such an important initiative within the Chelmsford community.”
