Support Us – Action East Devon

Help us support young people in East Devon

Action East Devon provides vital mental health peer support through our Headlight service, helping young people who face some of the longest NHS mental health waiting lists in England. Your support makes it possible for us to run community-based groups where young people can find hope, build resilience, and connect with others who understand their struggles.

Why Your Support Matters

We are a local charity that relies on a combination of grant funding and generous donations from individuals, businesses, and organisations in our community. We are hugely grateful to receive funding from organisations including The National Lottery Community Fund (Reaching Communities), BBC Children in Need, Ottery Town Council, The Postcode Local Trust and St James’s Place Foundation and numerous local businesses, community groups, and individual donors.

This combination of grant funding and community donations enables us to provide free peer support to young people across East Devon. However, grants often have restrictions and don’t cover all our running costs, which is why fundraising and individual donations are so vital to keeping Headlight accessible to everyone who needs it.

We need to raise additional funds each year to keep Headlight running

Every donation helps us provide safe, supportive spaces where young people can share their problems and learn to cope better. Our impact speaks for itself: 95% of young people report improved mental health and 90% feel more confident after attending our groups.

BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE 2025

Thank you: we smashed our target!

This year Action East Devon was selected to participate in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2025 – the UK’s largest match funding campaign!

We raised over £5,000 in our Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign, smashing our £4,000 target. It was a thrilling week and the team were amazed at the response our campaign recieved from the general public.

The money we raised went to support our Headlight peer support groups in Axminster, Ottery St Mary, and Seaton, and to help us open new groups in Honiton and Sidmouth in 2026.

Special thanks to our Big Give pledge-givers: Axminster Rotary Club, Axminster Lions Club, Bennett & Rogers (Seaton), Lentells Accountants (Seaton), Hammett Associates (Seaton), Fortnam Smith & Banwell FSB4Homes (Seaton), Masonic Lodge Virtue & Honour (Axminster), Milford & Dormer (Chard), and WBW Solicitors (Axminster) and The Hospital Saturday Fund our Champion givers.

Ways to Support Us

Make a Donation

Whether you can give £1, £5 or £500, every donation makes a real difference to young people in our community.

Donate direct through our CAF Bank account – You can make a one-off donation or set up a regular monthly contribution to provide sustained support for our work.

Gift Aid – If you’re a UK taxpayer, we can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate at no cost to you.

Legacy Giving – Leaving a gift in your will is a powerful way to support future generations of young people. To discuss legacy arrangements, please contact us at [email protected].

Donate here

Volunteer with us

Action East Devon relies on the generosity and energy of our volunteers to support us in the delivery of our services.

We need volunteers who can:

Support face-to-face delivery in our evening peer support groups
Assist with fundraising events and activities
Share personal experiences and stories of mental health recovery to inspire young people
Help with administration, social media, or other behind-the-scenes tasks
Simply care about what we do and want to make a difference

If you’re interested in volunteering, please get in touch to find out more about current opportunities. Email [email protected]

Get In Touch

If you have any questions about supporting Action East Devon, or would like to discuss corporate partnerships, legacy giving, or volunteering opportunities, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Thank you for supporting young people in East Devon. Together, we can make a real difference to their lives.