Our Mission
At WestNest, Our mission is to make therapeutic support inclusive and accessible to everyone who needs it within our local community.
We aim to provide accessible creative and therapeutic opportunities that support emotional wellbeing, self-awareness, confidence and resilience for children, young people and adults.
We are passionate about harnessing the power of creativity to support positive mental health and wellbeing.
Meet the team
WestNest is led by a small team of directors who bring together experience across education, therapeutic practice, children's health, art, business and finance.
Meet Ali
Founder and Executive Director
Ali has a passion for creativity, emotional wellbeing and the positive impact that therapeutic experiences can have on people’s lives. After many years working in education as a Primary School Teacher and Additional Needs Teacher, Ali retrained as a Play and Creative Arts Therapist, bringing together her experience in education, creativity and therapeutic practice.
WestNest grew from Ali’s vision of making Play Therapy more accessible to children who might otherwise be unable to access it. She also wanted to create opportunities for people in the local community to experience joy, slow down, take time for themselves, build positive connections, and explore and grow through creativity and therapeutic experiences.
Through WestNest, Ali hopes to create welcoming, inclusive spaces where people of all ages can feel supported and discover the positive impact that creativity and therapeutic experiences can have on their wellbeing.
Meet Louise
Director
Louise is a specialist paediatric nurse with extensive experience in children’s health, safeguarding and supporting families to thrive.
She brings a compassionate, family-centred approach to WestNest, alongside strong governance skills and a keen eye for detail.
Louise plays an important role in ensuring that WestNest upholds high standards, develops sustainably and remains focused on the needs and wellbeing of the children, young people and families we support.
Meet Steph
Director
With a background in Art education and extensive experience in business and finance, Steph brings a unique blend of creativity, organisation and practical expertise to WestNest.
Having worked as a secondary school Art teacher, Steph has a strong passion for creativity and its role in supporting emotional wellbeing. She combines her creative flair with excellent organisational and business skills, helping WestNest grow and develop while championing the positive impact that art and creativity can have on people’s lives.