A year of challenge and growth

As we reach the end of the year, I’ve been taking some time to pause and reflect. It has been a year of challenge and growth for our charity and, like the profession we support, we’ve had to navigate ongoing pressure, uncertainty and growing need. Through it all, what has struck me most is the strength of our pharmacy family and the kindness that connects it.

This year marked the end of our previous strategic period. Reflecting on those past five years has highlighted the progress we’ve made and the impact of our work. We shared much of this journey in our 2024 Impact Report, which highlights both the progress we’ve made and the challenges we’ve worked through together. It also paved the way for our new 2025–2030 strategy, shaped by the voices and experiences of the people we support. This strengthened focus will shape how we continue to champion wellbeing in the years ahead.

Welcoming new colleagues

One of the bright spots this year has been welcoming new members to our team:

• Sarah Crawford, our new Director of Finance and Operations and Deputy Chief Executive,
• Cassie Anderson, our Central Support Officer supporting events, volunteers, services and wellbeing, and
• Malika Hunter, our Senior Marketing and Communications Officer

Each brings warmth, experience and a genuine commitment to supporting our pharmacy family. Their contributions are already felt across the charity.

Supporting students and trainees in new ways

We refreshed our Student ACTNow and Trainee ACTNow wellbeing campaigns, offering more practical and accessible support at pivotal stages of the pharmacy journey. It’s been encouraging to see this resonate, with a 33% increase in Student subscribers and a 41% increase in Trainee subscribers. In collaboration with the RPS, the BPSA and the Pharmacy Schools Council we  launched our first ever Workforce Wellbeing Survey to better understand the mental health, wellbeing and expectations of workplace support among students, trainees and early career pharmacists. We look forward to sharing these results with you next year and using this to inform our support.

Expanding our wellbeing offer

We launched a new financial wellbeing offering, recognising the toll money worries can take on mental health. We also introduced our podcast, A Dose of Wellbeing, which offers bitesize support for those who may need a moment of calm or reassurance during their day.

Coming together as a community

This year also saw the launch of Walk for Wellbeing, our new community fundraising campaign. It has been wonderful to see people take part not only to support us but to support themselves, taking time to walk, reconnect and focus on their own wellbeing. We’re excited to see this grow. As we approach the festive season, a period that can feel especially challenging with short, dark days and moments of isolation, we invite you to get involved. Even a short walk outdoors, surrounded by nature, can be a gentle antidote and a simple way to lift your mood while helping us reach more of our pharmacy family.

A heartfelt thank you

We would not be here without the people who stand beside us.

To our volunteers — our trustees, our Listening Friends and our Ambassadors — thank you. You give your time, your empathy and your lived experience so others feel less alone. Your commitment strengthens every part of our work.

To our partners —
PDA, Alliance Healthcare/Alphega, Teva UK, Boots, Day Lewis, Pharmacyshows.co.uk, The Pharmacy Show, CPC and CPC North — thank you for your continued support. Your generosity enables us to keep providing free and confidential help to those who need it most. Your collaboration means more people know where to turn when life feels difficult. And to our other partners who help us reach more of our pharmacy family through their networks, we are deeply grateful.

To those individuals who support our work by donating and sharing our messages – Thank you!

Looking ahead

As we step into a new strategic period, our focus remains the same. We will continue to listen, adapt and champion the wellbeing of our pharmacy family. There is still much to do, but we move forward with hope and a shared sense of purpose.

Thank you to everyone who has connected with us, worked with us or trusted us enough to ask for help this year.

Danielle Hunt
Chief Executive, Pharmacist Support