Our Team - First Steps ED

Our team understand eating disorders and are here to provide hope, opportunities and choices through recovery.

Founded in 2004, it is the unwavering hard work, dedication and passion of our trustees, volunteers, partners, funders and incredible staff which enables us to continue our award-winning and quality-assured support to those struggling with eating disorders, as well as parents and carers and a network of professionals. It is to our team and our stakeholders that we express the greatest and sincerest gratitude that we can grow and continue to be the eating disorder charity in the Midlands.

Our team understand eating disorders. With extensive knowledge and experience, our staff provide the necessary experience to be able to operate effectively whilst relying on the help and support provided by our wonderful volunteers.

Catherine Cleary MBEFounder Director

Kevin ParkinsonChief Executive

Responsible to our Trustee Board, Kevin heads up the strategy and operational management of First Steps ensuring best possible practise for our stakeholders across the UK.

Natalie KnuttonClinical Lead

Natalie is responsible for the clinical and operational delivery of all our FSED service lines. With an MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, Natalie is also a BACP registered and NCS accredited psychotherapist.

Rose HibberdOperations Lead

Rose began working at First Steps back in 2013, after previously being a volunteer and service user. As Operations Lead, Rose supports the CEO and Clinical Lead to deliver the First Steps ED Business Plan. The role involves providing leadership and support to the Service Coordinators across the organisation ensuring each service pillar have the resources and capacity to meet commission and grant funded contracts and programmes.

Lucy RobinsonFundraising, Marketing and Communications Manager

Working closely with the First Steps ED team, Lucy is our in-house creative who leads our marketing campaigns and communications. She also designs many of our online resources and digital content to help us raise awareness for the support and services we provide.

Polly Strangwick Office and Training Coordinator

Polly recently joined the First Steps team following the completion of a BSc in Psychology. With a background of working in mental health services in a range of support roles, Polly supports the whole First Step’s team and works closely with the other coordinators to ensure effective working and communication across our services.

Danielle WhiteCounselling Service Coordinator

Danielle has recently joined the First Steps team having completed an MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. Danielle has a background of providing therapy to individuals who have experienced historical and current abuse and other forms of trauma. Danielle has experience of working with a variety of presenting issues using an Integrative Approach. Danielle leads our Counselling service and is passionate about providing an excellent service.

Kate FletcherCounsellor and Psychotherapist

Kate has recently joined the First Steps team having completed an MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. Kate has a background of providing therapy for trauma and experience in working with a variety of presenting issues; using a range of modalities to adapt to an individual’s needs.

Jor'dan McIntoshCounsellor and Psychotherapist

Kasmira SpenceCounsellor and Psychotherapist

Holly WhiteheadYoung Persons Service Coordinator

Holly has worked at First Steps ED for four years after graduating University with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Sports Psychology. Holly is a friendly and passionate member of the team and leads our Children and Young Persons (CYP) Team ensuring service users get excellent support.

Sam RabyAssistant Young Persons Coordinator and PPIE Boys and Men Lead

Sam has been part of the FSED team from volunteer to Bank staff and now specialist support officer, working within our Children and Young Persons (CYP) service. Sam also supports the PPIE committee as our Boys and Men lead, working to improve our services for those who identify as male.

Danny MorleySpecialist Support Officer

Dan joined the team in 2020 as one of our supporting bank staff, but moved to full time later that year! Danny works predominantly with young people, giving peer support and running our ‘Waiting Well Clinic’, designed around psychoeducation.

Sharon McCabeSpecialist Support Officer

Molly HallSpecialist Support Officer

Molly has recently joined First Steps ED as a Specialist Support Officer within our fantastic Children and Young People’s team. After being a service user and volunteer at First Steps ED, Molly is passionate about providing a supportive and understanding space for others through 1:1 sessions.

Laura EvansSpecialist Support Officer

Lauren DonaghyBefriending Service Coordinator

Following four years volunteering with First Steps ED as an All-Ages Group Facilitator and one of our valued befrienders, Lauren is now our Befriending Service Coordinator. Her role involves training and supervising the 70 volunteer befrienders who offer 1:1 support to service users via email, video or phone.

Rachael TomlinsonBefriending Support Worker

Megan HolmesCPD Training Consultant and Befriender

Tabitha MoorseCPD Training Consultant and Befriender

MichaelCPD Training Consultant and Befriender

George MycockCPD Training Consultant

George is the founder of MyoMinds, the mental health organisation that focuses on demystifying mental health for exercisers and athletes. He supports us in many ways, including facilitating our CPD sessions.

Grace TaylorNutrition Consultant

Grace is our freelance Nutritionist. She graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in Public Health Nutrition and is here to develop our nutrition pathway service, as well as offering support in providing digital resources and information for all service users at First Steps. Grace also offers one-to-one online nutrition consultations to service users to help build an understanding of nutrition and the foods our bodies and minds require to stay healthy and happy.

Hannah HickinbothamNutrition Consultant and Workshop Facilitator

Anna MonaghanMaster Reiki Practitioner

Anna is a Master Reiki practitioner in Usui Reiki and provides our Distance Reiki service. Anna is passionate about providing Reiki, empowering others to seek balance, vitality and happiness in their lives, and giving people what they need to inspire their journey towards physical, emotional, mental and spiritual change and well-being.

Volunteers continue to play a fundamental role in what we do, supporting both the charity and our service users. The opportunities available to volunteers comes in many forms throughout the year from service delivery to communications and content support. Our volunteers, befrienders and student counsellors remain one of our most valuable assets and play a huge role in ensuring our services and support channels remain open and available to those who need us. To learn more about how you can get involved or support us, visit our ‘Get Involved‘ page!

Patient Public Involvement and Engagement Committee

The involvement of service users and carers is vitally important in making sure our activities are relevant to our key stakeholder groups and all the people our organisation impacts. Our PPIE committee was created to ensure that our patients and the wider public are involved in the activities we undertake. Patients and the public bring a wealth of experience and provide valuable perspectives on the way that our services are designed and delivered.

Emily ElsonPPIE Chair

Emily has been a part of First Steps for more than 12 years, watching the service grow from an intimate community support group into a flourishing mental health and specialist eating disorder charity. With a unique ‘Expert by Experience’ perspective, Emily has played a crucial part in many developments here at First Steps, facilitating support groups and training as well as representing First Steps ED at a number of events and awards.

Georgie LazzariPPIE Marketing and Communications Lead

Georgie leads the communications within our PPIE committee and acts as the liaison between our service users and CEO/Trustees to ensure our promotional materials are reflective of our community. She also assists with staff and volunteer training, raising awareness and creating resources for use in schools and colleges.

Sam RabyPPIE Boys and Men Lead

Daniel GreenPPIE Parent and Carer Lead

Having dealt with First Steps, NHS CAMHS and Adult services as a parent of a service user, Dan recognises the importance of involving family members in the overall care plan for service users and would like to explore ways in which we can improve on training and support for families and carers to help them understand their pivotal role in children’s and partners recovery.

TashaPPIE BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) Lead

First Steps ED introduced a unique BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) perspective to our PPIE committee in 2020. As one of our ‘Experts by Experience’, this role involves sharing extensive Eating Disorder research and expertise, with special interest in Anorexia Nervosa, Autism And Restrictive Eating Disorders within the minority ethnic community groups.

Want to speak to us?

We always welcome feedback, comments or drop us a message at any time and we’ll be happy to get back to you.

Our team understand eating disorders and are here to provide hope, opportunities and choices through recovery.

Patient Public Involvement and Engagement Committee

Want to speak to us?

Newsletter signup