About Us
Our Vision
Our vision is for a more connected and
compassionate Norfolk, where people feel
able to talk, be heard, and access support
early, reducing the need for crisis intervention.
Our Story
Room to Breathe is a non-profit,
community-led project offering early
emotional support in Swaffham and
surrounding villages.
The project responds to a local need:
- Limited non-clinical emotional support
- Long statutory waiting lists
- Lack of drop in spaces.
Room to Breathe provides calm,
welcoming, safe spaces for people to pause,
reflect, and receive listening support or signposting.
The service is preventative and early-intervention,
guided by community values, safeguarding,
Lived experience and professional oversight
from a Multi-Disciplinary Strategic and Safeguarding Board.
We believe this is achievable through providing
safe, inclusive, non-clinical space
for people experiencing emotional distress,
loneliness, or early signs of
mental health challenges.
Our Approach:
- Deliver Drop-In Community support sessions and
Pop-Up community spaces. - Offer signposting to local and regional services
- Promote awareness and reduce stigma
around emotional wellbeing
Our Values
SANCTUARY
A gentle space where you can leave the world at the door. We provide a peaceful, non-judgemental
environment where everyone is safe to simply exist, exactly as they are
Built by Norfolk, for Norfolk. We are a grassroots movement where every voice helps shape our future, fostering meaningful relationships that bridge the gap between isolation and belonging.
COMMUNITY
CONNECTION
Believing that no one should walk alone. We prioritise the power of a warm 'hello', an open ear, and the simple kindness of being present for one another
CHANGE
Gentle defiance in action. We don't just accept the status quo; we challenge it. By campaigning against stigma and isolation, we use our collective voice to demand a world where mental health is met with compassion, not silence.
Our Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors brings together a diverse group of experienced professionals across mental health, healthcare, governance, and community leadership.
They provide oversight, safeguarding, and strategic direction, ensuring that Room to Breathe remains a safe, ethical space for those who need it the most, for years to come.
Grounded in both professional expertise and lived understanding, the board is committed to supporting a model of care that is human, accessible, and rooted in community.
Dan Hancock
Co-Founder - Managing Director
With a career in Health and Social Care, Dan has seen first-hand the growing strain on statutory services and the reality many people face when trying to access support. Long waiting lists, high thresholds, and a system often stretched beyond capacity mean that too many individuals are left without help until they reach crisis point.
These gaps, and the human impact behind them, have been a constant source of frustration throughout his career, and own lived experiences. Dan has witnessed how people can fall through the cracks, not because support doesn’t exist, but because it isn’t always accessible, timely, or rooted in genuine human connection.
Driven by both professional and lived experience, he founded Room to Breathe to offer a different kind of response. His vision is simple: to create spaces of sanctuary before people reach breaking point - places where compassion, presence, and community sit at the centre of support.
Dan is passionate about restoring a sense of belonging and dignity, and about proving that meaningful support doesn’t always have to come from clinical settings, it can begin with something as simple as a safe space, a conversation, and someone willing to listen.
Nikki Young
Co-Founder - Professional Nursing Director
Nikki is our Lead Psychiatric Nurse, bringing over 26 years of experience across acute, community, forensic, and rehabilitative Mental Health services. Her career has been dedicated to supporting individuals through a wide range of challenges, with a strong focus on promoting autonomy, self-respect, dignity, and independance through a person-centred approach to care.
She specialises in approaches rooted in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), using these frameworks to help individuals better understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in a practical and empowering way.
Nikki is deeply passionate about helping people maintain their mental wellbeing and believes that early, accessible support can make a lasting difference. She is committed to creating safe, supportive environments where individuals feel genuinely heard, understood, and respected.
Within Room to Breathe, Nikki plays a key role in shaping how support is offered - ensuring it remains grounded, ethical, and aligned with the needs of the community while staying true to the organisation’s non-clinical, human-centred ethos.
Dr. Anayo Uk
Professional Medical Director
Dr Anayo is a Consultant Psychiatrist with extensive experience in Crisis and Home Treatment services, supporting individuals at some of the most acute and vulnerable points in their lives. He also holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in Medical Law, bringing a well-rounded understanding of both clinical practice and the ethical frameworks that underpin it.
Known for his thoughtful, person-centred approach, Dr Anayo places authentic human connection at the heart of meaningful support. He believes that being truly heard and understood is a vital part of recovery and resilience.
He strongly aligns with the ethos of Room to Breathe, valuing unhurried, safe spaces where people can feel a sense of belonging and navigate life’s challenges with compassion and support.
He plays an important role in shaping how we respond to risk, safeguarding, and escalation, offering reassurance that the support we provide is both compassionate and appropriate. His perspective helps bridge the gap between community support and formal mental health services, strengthening our ability to support people early—before they reach crisis point.
Ben Edwards
Business & Finance Director
Ben is an experienced Operations Manager dedicated to creating people-centred, supportive workplaces. With a strong background in education, governance, and financial leadership, he brings a practical and steady approach to ensuring the organisation runs smoothly and sustainably behind the scenes.
His experience spans operational management, budgeting, compliance, and health and safety, allowing him to provide robust infrastructure that supports frontline community work. Ben holds recognised qualifications in managing safety and is committed to maintaining environments that are both safe and inclusive.
Alongside his professional role, Ben serves as a Senior Steward for Norfolk Schools and LGBT+ Branch Officer for UNISON. His work in these roles reflects a deep commitment to fairness, wellbeing, and advocacy, helping to amplify collective voices and ensure people feel heard, respected, and supported.
Within Room to Breathe, Ben plays a key role in strengthening the foundation of the organisation—ensuring that as the community grows, it does so in a way that is responsible, resilient, and rooted in its values.