More than 70 residents gathered in Hay-on-Wye on Saturday for the town’s first Mental Wellbeing Community Assembly - an event launched by Marie Brousseau-Navarro, Deputy Commissioner for Future Generations.

The gathering marked a significant milestone for the Hay Resilience Initiative, a grassroots movement tackling the growing intersection of mental health, climate anxiety, and rural sustainability.

Held in the heart of the town, the Assembly brought together local citizens, health professionals, educators, and campaigners to explore how small communities can respond to big challenges.

“Our Wellbeing of Future Generations Act provides a pathway for improving lives now and into the future,” said Ms Brousseau-Navarro.

“Hay’s initiative is a great example of how that can be done in practice.”

The Hay Resilience Initiative is already working toward ambitious goals: to become self-sufficient in agroecologically grown food by 2030 and in community-owned renewable energy by 2035. But organisers say that mental wellbeing is just as essential.

“We can’t build a sustainable future unless we also support people’s inner resilience,” said Mike Eccles, Director of HayResilience.org.

“Our approach is preventative - connecting people through food, nature, and meaningful action rather than waiting until they’re in crisis.”

Speakers at the event highlighted challenges facing rural communities, such as rising climate-related anxiety, long NHS referral waits, and growing social isolation. However, the mood was optimistic, with participants sharing creative solutions, including intergenerational growing projects, community meals, mental health first aid training for teachers, and youth-led spaces for connection.

The Assembly focused on community-based solutions rather than clinical ones, suggesting local spaces like the library, castle, and market gardens for wellbeing activities. The idea of declaring Hay-on-Wye a "Town of Wellbeing" also gained support, providing a hopeful framework for future initiatives.

The Assembly's message was clear: tackling climate change and mental health can—and must—go hand in hand.