Our stories

We recently caught up with Katie Steele to hear more about her return to AFG in 2024 and her recent promotion to Area Manager in March of this year.   Katie is a familiar face across our organisation and joined us almost eight years ago as a Support Worker. Since then, she has progressed and has recently been promoted to Area Manager of the Cheshire West […]

To kick start Mental Health Awareness Week, we spoke to our new Director of Mental Health, Heather Etheridge.  This year’s theme is Action. For Heather, action is where hope becomes real. In mental health recovery, while plans, strategies and interventions matter, it’s action that creates change. Small, consistent steps help someone move from surviving to living.  Heather said: “Action doesn’t have […]

We recently caught up with Vickie Yavuz, who joined three months ago as our new Goals and Outcomes Lead. Vickie shared more about her background, her passion for supporting people and what she hopes to bring to AFG. Why AFG? Vickie had come across AFG many times throughout her career and was consistently struck by […]

This is Mark’s journey, and it shows how someone can take small actions to rebuild their life with the right support, understanding and belief in themselves. Mark is 52 years old. He is a devoted husband and father of four, and throughout his life he has had a deep passion for history, politics and education. […]

When Gary Bielby joined Alternative Futures Group (AFG) in 2023, he was stepping into a completely new field. At 42, with no prior experience in social care, he began work as a Support Worker in Blackburn. Since then, Gary has become a key part of the AFG team – bringing reliability, empathy, and a strong […]

The 4th of June 2025 marks the first ever World Day for Assistive Technology, launched by leading health and development organisations as part of the Unlock the Everyday campaign, to raise awareness of the importance of assistive technology and the urgent need to improve access to it. There are various forms of assistive technology, including […]

Jack was admitted to Oak Lodge in February 2023 after spending several years in secure hospital care. With a long history of mental health challenges and a forensic background, he faced a major transition—moving from institutional life to independent living in the community. Jack was highly anxious about this change and needed significant support to […]

Laura, a 58-year-old woman with a diagnosis of personality disorder, has spent much of her adult life in hospital settings, often far from home and family. Her journey with mental health services began in 1987, and Laura unfortunately during her inpatient admissions she experienced the loss of several loved ones, including her father, brother, sister, […]

Since joining us 8 months ago as a Community Mental Health Practitioner, Amie has had a huge impact for the people we support and their support teams. What is the role of a Community Mental Health Practitioner? My role is to deliver effective interventions and coordinate care plans for adults with mental health problems. The […]

Since joining us 7 months ago as a Community Mental Health Practitioner, Jen has had a huge impact for the people we support and their support teams. What is the role of a Community Mental Health Practitioner? My role is to deliver effective interventions and coordinate care plans for adults with mental health problems.The role […]

Karl’s* journey with Alternative Futures Group began in late 2019 when he was admitted to Lea Court as an inpatient. After nearly three years of intensive support, he transitioned in 2022 to a step-down service designed to help people build confidence, independence and stability in the community. At the time of his move, Karl was […]

Alex*, now 63, has lived with a long-standing diagnosis of treatment-resistant schizophrenia. He has been known to local mental health services since the late 1980s and has experienced periods of depression, social anxiety, and withdrawal. He has openly shared his struggles, including feelings of isolation and difficulty forming close relationships From 2004 to 2021, Alex experienced […]