07 May BLOG: Seeing Oakleaf from the Inside Out
The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 is Take Action – but action doesn’t always mean big gestures. Sometimes, it starts with understanding, with listening, or with seeing things from a different perspective.
If you’ve watched our recent tour video, you’ll have seen the Oakleaf building itself – the rooms, the spaces, the activity boards. But what you don’t always see is the perspective behind it.
At Oakleaf, change rarely arrives in dramatic moments. It happens steadily through consistency, relationships, and the reliability of knowing support is there.
For Annalise, our Deputy CEO, that steady presence defines Oakleaf. Having worked both on the frontline and in senior leadership, she has seen the organisation from multiple angles, and that perspective shapes how she understands recovery today.
A Journey Rooted in People
Annalise has worked in charities since 2009, driven by a long-standing interest in people; how our past experiences, family dynamics and circumstances shape the way we experience emotions.
She originally studied Management with International Business Economics at the University of Manchester, completing her dissertation on what influences people’s willingness to donate to charity. Even then, she was curious about both the logistics of running organisations and the motivations behind why people choose to support them.
After roles in fundraising, mentoring and supporting young people with learning disabilities – and a brief period in the corporate sector – she committed fully to the charity world.
Annalise joined Oakleaf in September 2015 as a Social Activities Coordinator on a nine-month contract. This was extended to a full-time post and over time she trained in counselling, completed leadership qualifications, and later earned an MA in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy.
As Head of Client Services, she oversaw multiple teams and worked closely with partners to ensure safe, effective support.
That experience reinforced something she feels strongly about:
“Belonging to a community and having a safe place where you feel welcomed and able to be yourself is vital for recovery.”
What Recovery Really Looks Like
When asked what stays with her, Annalise doesn’t talk about dramatic breakthroughs. She talks about consistency.
She recalls one client who attended Oakleaf’s wellbeing activities on and off for years. Over time, their confidence grew and they began engaging elsewhere. Yet, every six months or so, they still call to check Oakleaf is there.
“Sometimes knowing the support is there is enough to help you feel strong enough to keep going.”
That sense of a safe base matters.
So do the quiet wins. The ones that don’t fit neatly into reports. For someone experiencing severe anxiety, walking into a room, making eye contact and saying hello can take months of courage.
“That can get lost in a world of standardised tools or numbers on a register to justify funding.”
Recovery can also show up in ordinary, everyday moments: noticing the sound of birds without your mind racing, enjoying a cup of coffee without distraction, or having a conversation where you feel genuinely present.
And one of Annalise’s favourite things to witness?
“Seeing the spark return, and the opportunities that open up when someone realises their self-worth.”
The Work Behind the Work
Now in a leadership role with Oakleaf, Annalise sees a much fuller picture.
Every department: Client Services, Fundraising, Marketing, Finance, Volunteers, plays a role in client outcomes. The frontline support visible in the tour video depends on careful planning, governance, partnership work and sustainable funding.
“At the end of the day, charities are still businesses. It takes a lot of time and money to do the behind-the-scenes work to ensure safe and ethical practice.”
Her time as Head of Mental Health within occupational health for the Metropolitan Police Service broadened her perspective further. Managing complex teams delivering one-to-one support, training and psychological screening showed her that the pressures of both scale of need and the limits of available resources can be seen across sectors.
It reinforced a simple truth:
“We all need help at different points in our lives.”
Prevention Before Crisis
Annalise is passionate about accessible, preventative mental health support. Earlier support leads to better outcomes but it also normalises mental health as part of everyday life.
Looking after our mental wellbeing, she says, should be something we do daily – “like brushing our teeth.”
Oakleaf often sits in that early space: offering connection before crisis escalates. A conversation. A course. A safe room. A place where someone feels heard.
These moments may not always be dramatic. But they are often decisive.
Beyond the Building
The tour video shows our building, but not all of Oakleaf’s work happens within those walls. Some of the services we offer are less visible, but for many, they are life-changing first steps.
Our Bridge the Gap service runs as part of the government’s Changing Futures initiative, supporting people who may not yet feel ready to access traditional services. Through trauma-informed, relationship-led support, we help individuals build trust, confidence, and connection at their own pace.
As part of Community Connections, our outreach wellbeing activities focus on delivering accessible support across Guildford and Waverley. By working within local communities and bringing services into familiar spaces, we reduce practical barriers and make it easier for people to access help close to home.
A Message to Supporters
When asked what she hopes donors and supporters understand, Annalise returns to the everyday impact:
“The power of Oakleaf is found in the day-to-day interactions.”
From the person who walks in feeling they have nowhere else to turn, to the individual who later supports their peers – progress happens steadily.
And to those who support Oakleaf financially:
“Know that your support is appreciated. It saves and improves the lives of hundreds of individuals, helping them feel worthy and accepted.”
Support sustains more than services. It sustains a place – and increasingly, outreach beyond it – that people know they can rely on.
And sometimes, simply knowing that is enough to begin moving forward.
Ways to Support Us
In light of Mental Health Awareness Week, there are simple, meaningful ways you can take action to support mental health in your community:
- Start a conversation
Reach out to someone, check in, or share what mental health means to you. Reducing stigma starts with everyday openness. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a client, please see our referral forms here.
- Volunteer your time
Whether running wellbeing activities, helping behind the scenes, or supporting external events, your time helps create the safe, welcoming spaces people rely on.
Take on a challenge, host an event, or do something that feels meaningful to you. Whether that’s a bake sale, a run, or a personal goal.
- Donate if you can
Your support helps sustain vital services, both inside our building and out in the community, so people know support is there when they need it.
- Build your mental health skills
Our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is an internationally recognised course that helps you spot the signs of mental ill-health, offer initial support, and guide someone towards the help they need. Upcoming dates: 9th/10th July 2026. Book your place.
- Share our story
Spreading awareness is action too. Sharing our work helps more people find Oakleaf when they need support most.
Taking action doesn’t have to be big to matter – sometimes, it simply means showing up, staying connected, and helping ensure no one feels alone.
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