May 11 2026
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It’s Mental Health Awareness Week – a time to recognise the millions of people affected by mental illness and the organisations working to support them. It’s also a chance to reflect on how design can make a real difference to mental health awareness and fundraising.
A few years ago, we had the privilege of working with Rethink Mental Illness on a project that brought together two simple but powerful tools for mental wellbeing: walking and talking.
The challenge
Rethink Mental Illness needed their first own-branded mass participation fundraising event. It needed to be accessible to everyone – the people they support, their families, friends, and the wider community. Most importantly, it needed to reflect Rethink’s values and create something that could work as both a national organised event and a grassroots initiative that anyone could arrange, whenever and wherever they liked.
Walking, talking, and listening
We created Walky Talky – a 5k walking event built around two evidence-based mental health tools: walking and talking.
But there’s more to the name than the obvious. A walkie-talkie device allows only one-way communication. You can either talk or listen, but not do both together. This captured something fundamental about Rethink’s approach to mental health support: the importance of truly listening.
The concept was deliberately simple and flexible. Anyone could organise a Walky Talky walk – whether that’s a hundred people in a park or two friends around their neighbourhood. The barrier to entry was intentionally low because mental health support shouldn’t be complicated or exclusive.
Creating an identity that invites everyone in
The visual identity needed to feel welcoming, memorable, accessible, and distinctly Rethink, while also working as its own recognisable event brand. We developed a full suite of materials:
- Event brand and identity
- Brand guidelines for consistent application
- Fundraising guide to help organisers
- Event microsite
- Promotional materials and posters
- Social media templates for community use
- Animated assets for digital campaigns
- Event route maps
The identity used playful illustration and clear, friendly communication. This wasn’t about making mental illness feel ‘fun’ – it was about making participation feel possible, and taking action feel achievable.
Design that removes barriers
What we loved about this project was the opportunity to design something that genuinely removed barriers to engagement. The flexible templates and straightforward guidelines were helpful for Rethink’s small fundraising team, and we gave community organisers the tools to run their own events without needing design expertise or big budgets.
As Rethink’s Community & Events Fundraising Manager told us: “We are a relatively small fundraising organisation, so it was nice to be taken seriously. The initial ideas for our event were fabulous and the final designs we absolutely love. There is no doubt that the work Door 22 have put in will boost the success of our event massively.”
This week, and every week
In Mental Health Awareness Week, it’s worth remembering that design isn’t neutral. The way we communicate about mental health – the language we use, the imagery we choose, the accessibility of our platforms – shapes how people engage with these vital conversations.
Good design can:
- Make support feel accessible rather than intimidating
- Create spaces for authentic conversation
- Remove practical barriers to participation
- Help small organisations achieve big impact
- Turn awareness into action
Mental health charities do extraordinary work, often with limited resources. When we can use design to amplify their reach and make their mission more visible, that’s exactly the kind of work we want to be doing.
If you’re thinking about a campaign or event for your organisation and want to make sure it’s designed with purpose, clarity and heart, we’d love to talk.
