Things to Do in Poole This May: Join Us for World Mental Health Week

If you are looking for free things to do in Poole this May, The Dolphin has the answer. We are hosting a full week of community activity built around something that matters to all of us. From Monday 11 to Sunday 17 May, we are running Mental Health Awareness Week in collaboration with Access Wellbeing Poole. Drop in sessions take place every weekday from 10am to 3pm. Everyone is welcome. Best of all, it is completely free.

This is the Five Ways to Wellbeing brought to life inside the centre. Connect, Be Active, Learn, Give and Take Notice. Each day has its own focus and its own activities. As a result, every visit will feel a bit different. Whether you fancy a coffee and a chat, a mindfulness walk in the park, peer support or simply a kind word, there is space for you here.

What is Mental Health Awareness Week?

Mental Health Awareness Week is a national moment. It invites people to look after their mental health and check in on the people around them. At its heart sits the Five Ways to Wellbeing. Developed by the New Economics Foundation, the framework is simple and evidence led. So anyone can use it. Connect with the people around you. Be physically active. Keep learning. Give to others. And take notice of the world.

They sound simple because they are. The five ways are not a programme or a course. Instead, they are small daily things that quietly add up. Over the course of one week, we are putting all five of them within easy reach in the heart of Poole.

Where to find us at The Dolphin

Everything happens at the Access Wellbeing hub inside The Dolphin, just off the main mall. First of all, you do not need to book. Second, you do not need to bring anything. Simply walk in any time between 10am and 3pm Monday to Friday. You will find a friendly face, a kettle on and an activity to join.

The hub has been the home of Access Wellbeing for some time. Day to day, it offers one to one wellbeing support, signposting and a quiet space in the middle of a busy centre. So Mental Health Awareness Week is a chance to open it up. We can invite people in and show the wider community what has been going on behind the door all year.

A daily guide to the week

Each day focuses on one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing. You can come for one session. Alternatively, drop in across the whole week. Or simply find the day that speaks to you most.

Monday 11 May  ·  Connect

We are starting the week the way we mean to go on. First up, coffee, cake and conversation. Wellbeing prompts will sit on every table to spark something a bit more interesting than small talk. We are also launching the new Sit and Connect circle. As a permanent feature in the hub, it is designed for exactly this: a moment to slow down and talk to someone new.

Then from 1pm to 4pm, we are hosting Community Connections. This is a dedicated session for peer support from Dorset Mental Health Forum and gambling support from Recovery For All. Both partners will be in the hub. They are ready to talk, listen and signpost on to further support if it would help.

Tuesday 12 May  ·  Be active

Tuesday is for moving the body in whatever way feels right. At 12.30pm, join us for a lunchtime mindfulness walk around Poole Park. Specialist mindfulness in nature practitioner Rosa Hearnshaw will lead the way, starting at the hub. The pace is gentle and slower than a usual walk. Above all, it is built around noticing what is around you. Walking shoes welcome but not essential.

Throughout the day, the team from Community Action Network will also be in the hub. They are there to talk through outdoor volunteering opportunities. Looking for ways to give your time, get outside and meet new people? Then this is the place to start.

Wednesday 13 May  ·  Learn

On Wednesday, we are handing the hub over to learning. Skills and Learning ACE will be on hand with information on adult educational courses across the area. Options range from short interest classes to longer qualifications. So whether you have been thinking about picking something up for years, or you are simply curious about what is available locally, this is a no pressure way to find out.

On top of that, a mindfulness challenge runs through the day. Using cards, it teaches a simple practice you can take home. As a result, you can keep using it long after the week ends.

Thursday 14 May  ·  Give

Thursday is the day we celebrate the small acts that hold a community together. To mark it, we have teamed up with Cherry Tree Nursery for a plant giveaway. Potted plants will be available to take home and care for. After all, there is something quietly grounding about looking after a living thing. Naturally, we wanted Thursday to reflect that.

In addition, we are running a community competition. Nominate someone who has contributed to community and wellbeing in your life. The person you nominate could win a voucher from local independent Wild Roots. Simply pop into the hub to scan a QR code and enter.

Friday 15 May  ·  Take notice

Finally, we close the working week with a focus on simply paying attention. Access Wellbeing are running two relaxation sessions. One starts at 11am and the other at 3pm. Each session lasts around 20 to 30 minutes. They are guided, gentle and a really good way to round off the week.

In addition, a photography activity runs ad hoc throughout the day. The brief is simple: capture what catches your eye. No technical skill required. Simply slow down, look around and notice what you might otherwise have walked past.

Why this matters at The Dolphin

The Dolphin is in a real shift right now. In short, we are moving from a traditional shopping centre to a genuine community hub. Weeks like this one are part of the reason why. After all, a centre that is only useful when you have got something to buy is a centre that does not earn its place in people’s lives. By contrast, a centre that runs free wellbeing activities also hosts community charities. It opens up its space to the people of Poole. As a result, it becomes something different.

This collaboration with Access Wellbeing Poole sits alongside our year round work. That work includes our charity partnerships, our weekly community events at GATHER and the independents in KINGLAND who give the centre its character. Every part of it joins up. Indeed, Mental Health Awareness Week is one of the clearest expressions of where we are headed.

Bring a friend

If you know someone who would benefit from a quiet hour somewhere warm, this is your gentle nudge to bring them along. Equally, if someone you know could do with a chat, bring them too. After all, the five ways to wellbeing work best when they are shared. So tag a friend. Forward this article. Drop in together. We would love to see you.

More things to do in Poole at The Dolphin

Mental Health Awareness Week is one of many community moments running at the centre this year. To see the rest, browse our What’s On page for the latest events. Alternatively, find out more about our weekly programme at GATHER. For opening times and directions, head over to our Visit Us page.

Event details at a glance:  Mental Health Awareness Week  ·  11 to 17 May 2026  ·  10am to 3pm daily  ·  Access Wellbeing hub, The Dolphin, Poole  ·  Free to attend, no booking required