Express has been catching up with the island’s charities to find out how the past year has gone and what their greatest wishes are for the year ahead.
Jersey Eating Disorders Support (JEDS) is a local charity providing support for those in the island affected by eating disorders, and their families and friends.
Chief executive Karen Dingle shared the charity’s highlights of this year, and hopes and wishes for next year…
What have been the highlights of 2025?
A highlight for JEDS this year has been the growth of Team JEDS.
We now have four qualified counsellors, ten Level 4 trainee counsellors doing their 100-hour placement with us and nine peer support workers.
This ensures that no one has to wait for psychological support, they can usually start within a week of contacting us.
We also have seven amazingly talented govenors on our committee.
All the team members are volunteers apart from two part-time workers, the chief executive and the deputy chief executive, who are paid for 20 hours a week each.
Another highlight has been being commissioned by the government to deliver courses.
JEDS four-week course for those in recovery from an eating disorder in partnership with The Recovery Hub was a resounding success, and the six-month Carers’ Course in partnership with The Listening Lounge is proving to be very popular too.
What has been the greatest challenge?
The greatest challenge is trying to find funding to enable us to continue to offer group support, one-to-one counselling, peer support and a variety of couses to all those in our community who are affected by eating disorders, including carers.
And what is on your charity’s ‘wish list’ for 2026?
JEDS wish is to have a dedicated, affordable counselling and training room that can be used inside and outside of office hours, and to be able to afford to pay two qualified counsellors and a supervisor.
Another wish is for the stigma around eating disorders to be reduced so that those in our community who are affected by them will feel able to come forward for support.
Anyone experiencing mental distress due to their relationship with their body or food deserves help.