As we close out 2025, we want to offer our heartfelt thanks for your continued support, dedication, and hard work. The past few years have brought extraordinary challenges, yet you have remained steadfast in your commitment to the people and communities we collectively serve. Your resilience and leadership continue to drive our mission forward.

This year also marked an important moment of change for the Association. We said a warm and deeply appreciative farewell to Kathy Roberts, whose leadership shaped much of our work over the last decade, and we were delighted to welcome Dania Hanif as our new Chief Executive. This transition brings renewed energy and focus as we strengthen our national voice and deepen our support for members. We look forward to working closely with you to shape the next chapter of our shared journey.

Throughout 2025, the Association played a strong and visible role in national conversations across government and the wider mental health sector. Together with you, our members, we pushed for reforms to strengthen social care and amplify the importance of community-based mental health support. We stood alongside partners for Providers Unite’s Day of Action in Westminster and Liverpool and engaged with major policy developments, including the Spring Budget, the Spending Review, the Fair Pay Agreement, and the Community Mental Health Services Inquiry – an inquiry that showcased the work of many of our members and partners.

As the VCFSE Network co-chair alongside NHS England for the 24/7 Mental Health Centres Pilot Programme, the Association has been instrumental in shaping strategic priorities for the sector, ensuring the voice and expertise of providers influence national policy and system transformation. We worked closely with partners and government to support the implementation of the pilots, a significant step forward in improving access and crisis pathways. These pilots demonstrate what is possible when statutory and VCFSE partners work together to meet the needs of people experiencing poor mental health and mental health crisis, and they provide critical evidence for the future scaling of community-led solutions.

Our leadership role was also particularly important in the development of the 10-Year Health Plan, where we advocated strongly for a whole-system approach to mental health support that recognises the central role of VCFSE organisations.

Alongside these developments, we welcomed the launch of, and provided evidence to, the Casey Commission, became a proud supporter of Health Equals, and co-signed a joint letter urging the Prime Minister to address the root causes of mental ill-health, suicide, and economic inactivity. The publication of England’s first men’s health strategy was another important milestone, reflecting a growing recognition of the diverse needs across our communities.

But 2025 was not without profound and painful moments. The far-right marches, discrimination, and violence over the summer had a devastating impact on many of the communities our sector supports – particularly those targeted directly. These events were a stark reminder of why our collective work to build safety, equity, and belonging is more urgent than ever.

More recently, our response to the Autumn Budget highlighted deepening pressures on families, rising levels of poverty, and ongoing strain on the NHS. The absence of any mention of mental health – despite escalating demand – reinforces the need for a strong, united sector voice. As the only national representative body for VCFSE mental health service providers, we want you to know this clearly: we hear you, we stand with you, and we are at the tables where your voices must be heard.

We also know that while some will rest over the festive period, many of you will continue your vital frontline work supporting people every day of the year. We see your commitment, and we are deeply grateful for all you do.

Looking Ahead to 2026
Despite the challenges, we remain hopeful – and determined. We believe in the power of our collective voice, in the strength and diversity of our sector, and in our shared commitment to ensuring high-quality, accessible mental health support for all.

In the year ahead, we will:

• Strengthen our partnership with NHS England and further embed the VCFSE sector’s leadership in national transformation programmes.
• Deepen our policy influence, ensuring government decisions reflect the realities and expertise of our members.
• Champion the sustainability of services, highlighting the essential role the VCFSE sector plays in meeting community needs.
• Amplify your experiences, evidence, and insights – because your work is what drives meaningful change.

Our networks play a vital role in bringing members together to share learning, support, and strengthen collaboration across the VCFSE mental health sector. Invitations to upcoming network meetings will be shared in the new year, and we encourage members to join.

We are also inviting members to complete a short survey to help us better understand your priorities, challenges, and to highlight the impact of your work. Your responses will enable us to better support you as a member and help us in developing our strategy and areas of focus.Your engagement will be critical in shaping this next phase. We encourage you to participate in our various meetings, to share information, data, stories, or testimonials; these contributions make our advocacy stronger and more representative. We are here to support you – and we want to work even more closely with you in 2026.

We wish you and your loved ones a peaceful, restorative, and joyful festive season.

Warmest wishes from all of us at The Association.

Our office will be closed from Thursday 25 December and will reopen on Friday 2 January.

If you would like to contribute insights or materials to support our work, please do get in touch – we always welcome hearing from you.