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

If you’re looking for free things to do in Poole this May, The Dolphin has a full week of community activity built around something that matters to all of us. From Monday 11 to Sunday 17 May, we’re hosting World Mental Health Week in collaboration with Access Wellbeing Poole. Drop-in sessions run every weekday from 10am to 3pm. Everyone is welcome, and everything is free.

Essentially, 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, its own activities and its own reasons to come along. Whether you fancy a coffee and a chat, a gentle yoga session, a mindfulness moment or simply a kind word, there’s space for you here.

What is World Mental Health Week?

First of all, World Mental Health Week is a national moment that invites people to look after their mental health. It also encourages us to check in on the people around us. The Five Ways to Wellbeing, developed by the New Economics Foundation, are a simple, evidence-led framework that anyone can use. Firstly, connect with the people around you. Secondly, be physically active. Then, keep learning. Next, give to others. Finally, take notice of the world.

They sound simple because they are. Importantly, the five ways are not a programme or a course. Instead, they’re small, daily things that quietly add up. Over the course of one week, we’re 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 Shopping Centre, just off the main mall. Firstly, you don’t need to book. Secondly, you don’t need to bring anything. Just walk in any time between 10am and 3pm Monday to Friday. Then you’ll find a friendly face, a kettle on, and an activity to join.

The hub has been the home of Access Wellbeing for some time. In other words, it offers one to one wellbeing support, signposting and a quiet space in the middle of a busy centre. As a result, World Mental Health Week is a chance to open it up, invite people in, and show the wider community what’s 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. As a result, you can come for one session, drop in across the whole week, or simply find the day that speaks to you most.

Monday 11 May · Connect

To begin with, we’re starting the week the way we mean to go on. Coffee, cake and conversation, with wellbeing prompts on every table to spark something a bit more interesting than small talk. In addition, we’re launching the new Sit and Connect circle. It’s a permanent feature in the hub designed for exactly this: a moment to slow down and talk to someone new.

Tuesday 12 May · Be active

Tuesday is for moving the body in whatever way feels right. Firstly, gentle chair yoga in the morning is suitable for all abilities. In particular, it’s great for anyone who hasn’t moved much in a while. Then at lunchtime, a short walk leaves the hub and loops around Poole Park. Meanwhile, partners from Active Dorset and Parks in Mind are on hand to lead the way. Walking shoes welcome but not essential.

Wednesday 13 May · Learn

On Wednesday, we’re handing the hub over to local partners running short, friendly skills sessions. For example, expect a mindfulness challenge you can take home. In addition, there’ll be mini workshops led by Skills and Learning, REC and BCHA. Furthermore, there’s a special display of artefacts from Poole Museum. There’s no pressure to perform and no exam at the end. Just an hour or so of something new.

Thursday 14 May · Give

Thursday is the day we celebrate the small acts of kindness that hold a community together. Firstly, there’ll be Random Acts of Kindness goody bags. Secondly, look out for a plant giveaway in partnership with Cherry Tree Nursery. Finally, there’s a competition to nominate someone who has gone above and beyond for the people around them. As a result, the winner gets a gift from one of the centre’s stores, announced in the hub at 2pm.

Friday 15 May · Take notice

Lastly, we close the working week with a focus on simply paying attention. For instance, expect a relaxation session led by Access Wellbeing, a guided photography activity, picture cards and a mindfulness moment to carry into the weekend. It’s a quieter day on purpose. In other words, a space to land, after a busy week.

Why this matters at The Dolphin

To be honest, The Dolphin is in a real shift right now. Specifically, we’re moving from a traditional shopping centre to a genuine community hub. As a result, weeks like this one are part of the reason why. A centre that’s only useful when you’ve got something to buy is a centre that doesn’t earn its place in people’s lives. By contrast, a centre that runs free wellbeing activities, hosts community charities and opens up its space to the people of Poole is something different.

Moreover, this collaboration with Access Wellbeing Poole sits alongside year-round work with our charity partners. It also runs in parallel with our weekly community events at GATHER and the independents in KINGLAND, who give the centre its character. Every part of that joins up. Above all, World Mental Health Week is one of the clearest expressions of where we’re headed.

Bring a friend

If you know someone who’d benefit from a quiet hour somewhere warm, or simply someone who could do with a chat, this is your gentle nudge to bring them along. After all, the five ways to wellbeing work best when they’re shared. So tag a friend. Then forward this article. Or drop in together. We’d love to see you.

More things to do in Poole at The Dolphin

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

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