About SEED
SEED is a voluntary organisation founded in 2000 in Hull, East Yorkshire, by Marg Oaten MBE and Dennis Oaten. Their aim was to increase awareness of eating disorders and provide more support to those in need.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any other mental illness, with 20% of those suffering dying as a direct result of the disorder or by taking their own life. SEED is comprised of a group of ordinary people with first-hand experience of eating disorders.
Their work is focused on early intervention, prevention, and providing support to those directly affected or those caring for someone with an eating disorder.
SEED's Challenges
In the early months of 2024 SEED experienced a significant increase in demand for their services, particularly from individuals outside their usual geographical location. This surge placed considerable strain on their staff and resources, impacting the quality of support they could provide.
Compounding this challenge were several issues with their resource room. Privacy became a major concern; due to the unit’s structure, sound carried easily, and despite their best efforts to mitigate this, they were unable to resolve the problem. This limitation hindered their ability to engage with service users effectively.
By mid-year, the increased pressure led to the departure of several staff members for various reasons beyond their control. In response, SEED initiated an in-depth review of the charity to identify the best path forward. This review concluded that they should streamline their services, focusing specifically on Hull, East Riding, and surrounding areas, and vacate the resource room.
SEED's Achievements
Despite the challenges, they achieved several positive outcomes in 2024, that reinforced their commitment to helping both sufferers and caregivers combat this cruel illness. Notably, they have updated their SEED Eating Disorder Educational Toolkit, which they will focus on in 2025 to increase the uptake of their online learning platform in schools.
