What supports mental wellbeing in Suffolk?

Every year, Suffolk Mind explores the factors that help people maintain good mental wellbeing through our State of Suffolk research.

Our latest report, State of Suffolk 2025, draws on responses from 1,301 people living across Suffolk and provides valuable insight into how people are meeting their emotional and physical needs.

The findings are encouraging. Compared with previous years, respondents reported significant improvements in some key areas of wellbeing, particularly Community and Meaning & Purpose. However, Sleep, Movement and Community remain the least met needs overall, highlighting ongoing challenges for many people across the county.

This year’s report focuses on three areas that can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing:

• Hobbies and interests, including reading
• Community involvement and volunteering
• Access to nature and outdoor spaces

What are the key finding’s in this year’s report?

One of the most striking findings is the relationship between reading and wellbeing. People who read regularly were more likely to report better wellbeing and higher Emotional Needs Audit (ENA) scores than those who rarely read. The report also explores how reading may support needs such as Privacy, Community, Achievement and even Sleep.

The research also highlights the importance of feeling connected to others. People who reported that community involvement supported their emotional needs were significantly more likely to experience good wellbeing. Volunteering, in particular, was linked to stronger feelings of belonging and community.

Access to nature continues to play an important role in supporting mental health. Respondents described how green spaces help them meet needs such as Movement, Security, Control and Community. The report also considers how changes to local environments can affect wellbeing and emotional needs.

Taken together, the findings reinforce an important message: small changes can have a meaningful impact on our mental wellbeing. Whether it is making time to read, spending more time outdoors or becoming involved in your local community, everyday activities can help us meet our emotional and physical needs more effectively.

Read the full State of Suffolk 2025 report to explore the findings in more detail and discover what they tell us about mental wellbeing across Suffolk.

Research and report by Lotte Tyndale-Hardy and Nina Grant, Suffolk Mind’s Research and Evaluation Team