Written by Mags Delaney-Moffatt

Volunteers at our last PumpHouse Picnic

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026: 12-18 October

The theme for this year is BELONGING, and where else can you get a better sense of that than here in the theatre. Whether you are on stage or in the audience, a Friend of The PumpHouse, or here for the first time, you BELONG to our community.

The First Scene team after watching The Biggest Drag Carnival Circus at The PumpHouse

Belonging is good for our mental health (a fact backed up by research) – human beings are by their very nature social creatures, but sadly for whatever reason the feeling of loneliness is on the rise not just here in New Zealand but globally.

Audience at the 2025 Christmas Carols in the Amphitheatre

The Helen Clark Foundation recently reported that only 53% of NZers feel a strong sense of community within our neighbourhoods. Belonging doesn’t just matter for us – it matters to those around us too.

The Golden Age Actors showcase

A small everyday action can make a real difference to those around us and their mental health by giving a sense of being seen, valued, and connected. Being part of our theatre community in whatever capacity means you belong – and that makes a real difference.

Market day at The PumpHouse Theatre