Anthony Seddon was a warm, caring person who would chat with anyone and always try to help. His kindness and willingness to make time for others are an important part of the story behind our charity.

Anthony lived with bipolar disorder from the age of 18 and died by suicide in March 2013. In July 2014, his parents, Donna and Brian Thomas, established The Anthony Seddon Fund, determined to create something positive in his memory and support others experiencing mental health difficulties.

With the support of family, friends and local people, that determination grew into a shared community effort. Raising funds and encouraging conversations about mental health laid the foundations for the charity we are today.

Our early fundraising began with a stall at Ashton Market. Donated items from local people were sold to support mental health awareness and education projects delivered through Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind.

Alongside the fundraising, people began stopping for a chat. Conversations about mental health, bereavement and the challenges of everyday life became part of the stall, offering opportunities to listen and share experiences.

These conversations helped reveal the need for somewhere people could feel understood and less alone. The relationships formed at the market helped shape the community approach that remains at the heart of TASFund today.

As support for TASFund grew, the charity shop provided a permanent base for fundraising, volunteering and meeting local people. It gave the connections first formed at Ashton Market somewhere to grow.

Alongside donations and sales, the shop became a place for conversation. People could find information, share what they were going through and meet someone willing to listen.

For many, it was their first introduction to TASFund. These everyday encounters strengthened our community relationships and helped demonstrate the need for a dedicated space for mental health support in Tameside.

As TASFund grew, the conversations that began at the market stall and charity shop showed the need for a dedicated support space. People were looking for connection, understanding and somewhere they could feel comfortable talking about their mental health.

The Anthony Seddon Centre gave that community a home, with room for peer support, groups and wellbeing activities. It created more opportunities for people to meet, share experiences and take part in things they enjoy.

Today, the Centre remains at the heart of our work, welcoming thousands of visits each year. Our staff, volunteers and partners help make it a place where people can find a listening ear, build friendships and explore support that works for them.

In 2021, The Anthony Seddon Fund received The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. At the time, this was the highest award for local voluntary groups in the United Kingdom, recognising outstanding service to their communities.

For TASFund, it was a proud moment and an opportunity to celebrate the dedication of our volunteers. Their time, compassion and willingness to help others have been central to the charity’s journey.

The recognition is part of a shared story, built by volunteers, staff, trustees, supporters and everyone who has helped our community grow. It remains a reminder of what people can achieve when they come together to support one another.

Since our early fundraising days, TASFund has grown in response to the people who come through our doors. Peer support, wellbeing activities and community partnerships offer different ways for people to find connection and understanding.

Some people join a regular group; others come for a conversation, companionship or support through a difficult time. Our staff, volunteers and trustees help create a place where people can feel listened to, valued and less alone.

Our impact page brings together attendance figures, feedback and personal experiences. Behind that evidence are the everyday relationships and moments of support that have always been at the heart of our journey.

Explore Our Impact →

“Thank you for the legacy in your family member’s name at a time of such sadness. You thought to help others by providing a warm, caring place of help, support and safety. Words don’t seem enough to express how amazing the volunteers and Anthony Seddon Centre truly is.”

Our journey has always been shaped by the people around us. As we look ahead, we want to build on those relationships and keep compassionate, community-based mental health support at the heart of TASFund.

We aim to strengthen our services, create more opportunities for people to get involved and ensure lived experience continues to influence our decisions. Listening to our community and working with partners will help us understand where we can make the greatest difference.

The next chapter will grow through the same kindness and shared effort that brought us here. Whatever changes, Anthony’s memory and our commitment to helping people feel connected, understood and less alone will remain central to our work.