AWARE NI mental health exhibition launched in Derry
Mayor of Derry & Strabane, Councillor Grace Uí Niallais, officially opened AWARE NI’s 30th anniversary Look at Me Now mental health exhibition at the Millennium Forum on World Suicide Prevention Day.
The exhibition will remain on display for one month, culminating on October 10, World Mental Health Day.
Look at Me Now takes its name from a line in a poem written by an AWARE NI service user, whose words chart a personal journey from struggle to recovery.
The exhibition features a further 29 personal testimonies from people with lived experience, volunteers, staff and fundraisers, representing 30 stories for AWARE NI’s 30 years.
Together, the testimonies show that recovery is possible and highlight the life-changing impact that peer support, shared experience and hope can have.
Speaking at the launch, Mayor of Derry & Strabane, Cllr Grace Uí Niallais, said: “It’s important that people talk openly about mental health and know they are not alone – this exhibition will undoubtedly challenge stigma.”
Reflecting on AWARE NI’s impact, she continued: “AWARE has been a local charity at the heart of mental health support, with a philosophy that shared experience can change lives.”
AWARE NI runs two free weekly mental health support groups in Derry, meeting on Tuesdays at 7pm and Thursdays at 11am. There is no waiting list and no referral or diagnosis is required – people can simply come along and access support when they need it.
AWARE NI service user Erin Erwin is one of the people whose story is featured in the exhibition. Speaking at the Belfast launch of Look at Me Now, Erin said: “AWARE has saved my life. They save lives and change lives every day.”
The Look at Me Now exhibition is on display at the Millennium Forum until 10 October 2026.