Headlight

🌟 A Message to Our Young People 🌟

A huge well done to all the Year 11 students who have now completed their GCSE exams! 🎉

The last few months have taken a lot of hard work, determination, and resilience, and you should all be incredibly proud of yourselves. Whatever comes next, take some time to celebrate your achievements and enjoy a well-deserved break this summer☀️

We’d also like to wish the very best of luck to all the Year 10 students who are currently sitting their mock exams. Remember that mocks are an opportunity to learn, grow, and gain experience. Try your best, be kind to yourself, and remember that your worth is not defined by exam results.

At Headlight, we know that exam season can bring a mix of emotions. If you’re feeling stressed, worried, or overwhelmed, remember to reach out for support and talk to someone you trust. 💙

Good luck, Year 10, and congratulations Year 11, you’ve got this! ⭐

We’ve had a few questions recently about Headlight, so we thought we’d answer some of the most common ones here.

☁️ What is Headlight?

Headlight is a peer support service for young people aged 11–25 who may need some extra support with their wellbeing or mental health.

Alongside our peer support groups, we also offer 1:1 mentoring. Headlight provides a safe, welcoming, non-judgemental and confidential space where young people can connect, share experiences, and feel supported.

📝 How do I sign up?

Simply visit our website and complete the referral form via the Peer Support section. A member of our team will then be in touch.

Website: www.actioneastdevon.org.uk/our-services/

📅 How often are the groups?

Headlight groups run every other week, with both junior and senior groups available (senior groups currently only available in Ottery).

📍 When and where do groups take place?

Seaton (Restore Café) – Tuesdays, 6pm–8pm
Ottery St Mary (The Station) – Wednesdays, 6pm–8pm
Axminster (Pippins) – Thursdays, 6pm–8pm
Sidmouth – Mondays, 6pm–8pm (coming soon)
Honiton – (coming soon)

❓ Have another question about Headlight?

Feel free to drop us a message, we’d be happy to help

Our Services – Action East Devon Action East Devon provides friendly, non-clinical spaces for young people who are experiencing low level emotional and mental health difficulties.

🎶 We are delighted that the Tale Valley Choir has chosen Action East Devon as their Charity of the Year for 2025–26. 🎶

We were incredibly touched by the support shown at the Tale Valley Christmas Concert in December, where Talaton Church was packed with music, community spirit, and generosity. A particularly moving moment was hearing from the mother of a young person who had benefited from our Headlight service, sharing the difference that support had made to her family.

We are very grateful to the choir and everyone involved, and we’re looking forward to the upcoming concerts:

📍 Whimple Church
🗓 Saturday 20th June
🕢 7.30pm
🎵 Featuring special guests La Clé des Chants from Normandy

📍 Talaton Church
🗓 Friday 17th July
🕖 7.00pm
🪑 Outdoor concert – please bring a chair
☔ In the church if wet

Parents of neurodiverse teens and young adults are invited to join a friendly meet-up in Waffle, Lyme Regis. Come along to share experiences in a relaxed and welcoming environment, support each other or simply chat.

Monthly, every 2nd Tuesday 9.30am-11.30pm
Starting on Tuesday 9th June 2026
37 Broad Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3QF

For more information email [email protected]
Learn more about the Waffle House here: https://waffle.org.uk/lyme-regis/

At the end of May, we said goodbye to Stacey after five years with Action East Devon.

Throughout her time with us, Stacey has been a familiar, caring, and supportive presence for many young people. From Facilitating our Headlight Peer Support Groups in Axminster and Seaton to mentoring students at Sidmouth College and Axe valley, she has helped countless young people navigate challenges, build confidence, and feel heard and understood.

Stacey has brought warmth, compassion, dedication and plenty of fun and laughter to her role, making a real difference to the lives of the young people she worked with.

While we are sad to see her go, we are incredibly grateful for everything she has given to the organisation and our young people over the past five years. Her impact will be felt long after her departure, and she will be greatly missed by staff, volunteers and the young people she worked with.

Thank you for all that you have done Stacey, we wish you every happiness and success in your next adventure 💙

Meet the incredible volunteers who help make our Headlight groups such a special place.

This , we want to say a huge THANK YOU to each and every one of our volunteers for your dedication and unwavering support. The time, energy, and care you give make a real difference to the lives of our young people every single week.

We simply couldn’t do what we do without you. Thank you for being part of the Headlight family. 🌟

A big thank you to the Tale Valley Choirand the Penzance Orpheus Ladies Choir for supporting Headlight at their concert in Exeter last week. We were delighted to benefit from the collection taken during the evening and are so grateful for their generosity.

We're now looking forward to another wonderful musical event on 20th June in Whimple, when the Tale Valley Choir will be joined by the French choir, La Clé des Chants, for a truly international evening! We hope to see you there!

Do come along to this concert if you can. It promises to be a wonderful evening, with the added bonus that the fantastic Tale Valley Choir will be joined by Penzance Orpheus Ladies Choir for a very special evening of music and community spirit. Together, they are raising funds for Headlight with every penny we receive going directly to supporting our young people in East Devon struggling with their mental health challenges.

Come along and see us in Exeter…😃

Has this year's inspired you to of your own?
Headlight is looking for people who are keen to to help our young people who are looking for help with their mental health.
If you are wondering what your next challenge could be - then we'd love to hear from you. Volunteering could be within our Headlight groups, as a Trustee, as part of our fundraising team - whatever your skills, we are sure to need them!

We want to send out a message to young people across Devon and beyond as they begin their exams this week. The pressure of exams can sometimes feel overwhelming but it is important to remember that exam results will give you a better understanding of your academic performance BUT please don’t forget there is so much more. Your exam results will not reflect what you mean to your friends and family, your hobby that you’ve been practicing forever, your kindness and your thoughtfulness or that everyday you wake up and try to do your best no matter what. Whilst your exam results will tell you something, they won’t tell you everything. So please, as you navigate your exams, try to switch off a little earlier & sleep enough and eat well if you can. Of course try your best but remember you are amazing and look after you!