AWARE celebrates 30 years
AWARE at 30: Look At Me Now
For 30 years we've delivered vital mental health services across Northern Ireland. With your help, we can shape the next 30.
At the heart of this anniversary is Look At Me Now - an exhibition featuring 30 human-led stories.
Donate Now - and be a part of what comes next!
This year marks a significant milestone for AWARE NI as we celebrate 30 years of supporting mental health and wellbeing across Northern Ireland.
For three decades, we’ve been here for people experiencing depression, anxiety and other mental health-related conditions - providing support, understanding, and generally helping people to feel less alone.
Reaching 30 years isn't just a moment to look back on, but an opportunity to recognise the people, whose experiences have shaped who we are today.
To mark this anniversary, we’re doing something very special!
Thank you to Dowds Group for being our official 30th anniversary sponsor!
Visit the Exhibition - Look At Me Now
Our 30th anniversary will bring together 30 human-led stories - one for each year of AWARE NI. These are honest, first-hand reflections from people who have experienced mental health challenges, sharing what has helped them find calm, resilience and hope along the way.
Together, these stories form Look at Me Now - a powerful exhibition shaped by lived experience.
📍Millenium Forum, Derry/Londonderry
📅 Thursday 10 September - Saturday 10 October 2026
🆓 Free entry - no booking required
This exhibition offers a space to pause, reflect and connect - bringing to life the human experiences behind the work we do every day.
We would love you to visit and experience these stories in person. By doing so, you'll be joining us in celebrating every other voice that has yet to be heard.
Your support makes immediate help possible
At a time when many face long waiting lists for mental health services, AWARE NI provides free, accessible support without delay.
Your regular donation helps us continue to be there when it matters most.
Sign up to become a monthly donor today by visiting our giving page.
Take a look at our launch at the Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, June 2026
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who supported the launch of LOOK AT ME NOW, AWARE NI's 30th anniversary mental health exhibition.
A special thank you goes to each of our exhibitors for courageously sharing their lived experience of mental ill-health. Every story is unique, but together they send a powerful message: living with mental ill-health is never a sign of weakness.
As Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said during the exhibition launch:
"The journey towards recovery requires strength, courage and resilience."
We are grateful to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt for officially opening the exhibition and for highlighting the importance of improving mental health across Northern Ireland, while recognising the vital role the community and voluntary sector plays in supporting individuals and communities.
Our thanks also go to MLA Justin McNulty, who travelled from Newry to attend the launch and continues to be a valued supporter of AWARE NI and local mental health services.
We are especially grateful to the team at Golden Thread Gallery for partnering with us to bring LOOK AT ME NOW to life. Their expertise, encouragement and dedication helped create a welcoming space where these powerful stories could be shared with the public. We are excited to take this exhibition to Derry/Londonderry in the autumn, hosted by the Millenium Forum.
Finally, thank you to everyone who visited the exhibition, shared it with others, and supported this milestone project. Your encouragement and generosity helped make LOOK AT ME NOW a meaningful celebration of 30 years of raising awareness, reducing stigma, and sharing hope for recovery.
Together, we are helping to create a Northern Ireland where no one has to face mental ill-health alone.
How can AWARE NI help?
AWARE NI Support Groups welcome those living with low mood, depression, anxiety or bipolar, and their families and carers. The groups provide an opportunity to meet others going through similar experiences as you. This peer-led support can help you understand your illness, allow you to speak freely about your feelings, and make you realise that you are not alone.
