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 to mean something big or overwhelming. Sometimes it’s getting out of bed, having a conversation, asking for help, or taking the first step into something unfamiliar. Those moments matter, and they build momentum over time.”
Heather’s career has always centred around supporting people and communities to thrive. She began in policing, prisons, early help and public services before moving into her first formal mental health leadership role as Director of Mental Health at the Big Life Group. There, she led a Community Mental Health Transformation in Tameside and designed a whole pathway of support. Most recently, she was CEO of Manchester Youth Zone, focusing on a whole family approach to support, including mental health and wellbeing.
“When we create spaces where people can recover, grow and thrive, it’s incredible what human potential can look like, regardless of someone’s background or what they may have experienced in life.”
Heather was drawn to AFG because of how ambitious and values led we are about the quality of support we provide. Three months into the role, she already has a strong sense of what she hopes to bring. With a values driven leadership style and a belief in the power of listening, combined with strategic direction and system knowledge, she believes we can build services that genuinely work.
“One of my ambitions is to use my voice and experience to strengthen and grow the mental health offer, ensuring we continue to develop services that meet the needs of the communities we support.” she said.
One of Heather’s immediate priorities is developing a clear and ambitious mental health strategy for AFG, aligned with national priorities including the NHS 10-year Plan and the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme. Key areas of focus include earlier intervention and prevention, supporting transitions from hospital to community, strengthening neighbourhood models of care, developing strong partnerships and ensuring services champion recovery, independence and long-term wellbeing.
“My ambition is for AFG to become one of the leading voluntary sector organisations in the country for the breadth and quality of its mental health services.”
Heather recognises that growth alone is not enough; what matters is the quality and impact of what we offer. She believes holistic mental health support, built with people who use our services, is essential.
Her passion for this work is deeply personal. After a number of traumatic experiences early in life, Heather became a mother at 18 and it was her midwife who changed her path.
“That experience shaped the way I approach my work today. Since then, I’ve continued to build knowledge, qualifications and experience throughout my career, but I’ve also always drawn on my lived experience and my genuine love of understanding people.”
Outside of work, Heather is a mum first. She loves dancing, travelling, eating great food and spending time at the gym. At the heart of everything she does is a simple belief: when people are believed in and given the right environment to recover and thrive, they can achieve amazing things.