2014
Humble Beginnings
The Anthony Seddon Fund was established in July 2014 by Donna and Brian Thomas, just over a year after the death of their son, Anthony. Determined to create something positive from unimaginable loss, they set out to support others experiencing mental health challenges while raising awareness of mental health within the wider community.
What began as a personal mission quickly became a shared cause. Through their passion, resilience and commitment to helping others, Donna and Brian laid the foundations for an organisation that would go on to support thousands of people across Tameside and beyond.
More than a decade later, that same passion continues to guide everything we do. While the charity has grown significantly since those early days, our purpose remains unchanged; ensuring that nobody has to face mental health challenges alone.
The Early Years
Ashton Market
The Anthony Seddon Fund began with a simple market stall in Ashton Market. Donations from local people were sold to raise funds, with all proceeds supporting mental health awareness and education projects delivered through Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind.
While the primary aim was fundraising, something unexpected began to happen. People started stopping by not only to browse and shop, but also to talk. Conversations about mental health, grief, recovery and personal struggles became a regular part of daily life at the stall.
What started as a fundraising initiative soon became a place of connection, understanding and support. Looking back, the market stall provided the first glimpse of what TASFund would eventually become; a safe and welcoming community where people felt able to share their experiences and find hope.
The market stall may have started as a way to raise funds, but it quickly became something much more powerful; a place where conversations about mental health could happen openly and without judgement.
Growing The Vision
The Charity Shop
As support for The Anthony Seddon Fund continued to grow, it became clear that a market stall alone could no longer meet the needs of the community. The opening of The Anthony Seddon Fund Shop provided a permanent home for the charity and created new opportunities to raise funds, engage volunteers and connect with local people.
The shop quickly became much more than a place to donate or purchase items. It developed into a welcoming community space where people could access information, talk openly about mental health and find a friendly face when they needed support.
For many people, the shop was their first introduction to TASFund. It helped raise awareness of mental health, strengthen community connections and demonstrated the growing need for a dedicated support space within Tameside.
The charity shop helped transform TASFund from a fundraising initiative into a recognised community presence; a place where support, conversation and connection became just as important as fundraising.
A New Chapter
The Anthony Seddon Centre
As TASFund continued to grow, so did the number of people seeking support. What began as conversations at a market stall and within the charity shop had evolved into something much bigger. More and more people were turning to us not just for information, but for connection, understanding and practical support with their mental health and wellbeing.
To meet this growing demand, The Anthony Seddon Centre was established. The Centre provided a dedicated space where people could access support, attend groups and activities, connect with others and find a welcoming environment where they felt safe, valued and listened to.
Today, the Centre remains at the heart of everything we do. It is home to our peer support services, wellbeing activities, community projects and partnerships, helping thousands of people each year to improve their mental health, build resilience and reduce isolation.
What started as a small fundraising effort had become a dedicated community hub; a place where people could find support, hope and a sense of belonging.
National Recognition
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
In 2021, The Anthony Seddon Fund was honoured to receive The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service; the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the United Kingdom and often described as the equivalent of an MBE for voluntary organisations.
The award recognised the incredible dedication of our volunteers, trustees and supporters, as well as the impact the charity has made within the local community. It also acknowledged the way TASFund adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to support people at a time when many were experiencing increased isolation, anxiety and uncertainty.
While we were immensely proud to receive this recognition, the award belongs to every volunteer, staff member, supporter and person who has been part of our journey. It reflects the collective effort of a community coming together to support mental health and wellbeing.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest recognition a voluntary organisation can receive in the UK.
Looking Ahead
The Next Chapter of Our Journey
While we are proud of everything that has been achieved since 2014, we know there is still much more to do. Demand for mental health support continues to grow, and we remain committed to ensuring people can access compassionate, community-based support when they need it most.
Over the coming years, we aim to strengthen our services, expand opportunities for community involvement, increase the voices of people with lived experience and continue developing innovative ways to support mental health and wellbeing across Tameside.
Although much has changed since a small market stall first appeared in Ashton Market, our purpose remains the same; creating hope, reducing isolation and ensuring that nobody has to face mental health challenges alone.
From loss came hope.
From hope came a community.
And our journey is only just beginning.