Step One Charity
Step One Charity is a Devon-based mental health charity providing inpatient rehabilitation, supported living, community support, crisis services, and corporate wellbeing training across Devon, UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1937
- HeadquartersExeter, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Step One Charity does
Step One Charity is a Devon-based mental health and wellbeing charity founded in 1937 and headquartered in Exeter, UK. It delivers a vertically integrated mental health service portfolio spanning 24/7 inpatient rehabilitation at Cypress Hospital, supported living housing (including Granvue), one-to-one community support, crisis support through The Moorings @ Devon in Exeter, Torquay, and Barnstaple, and the BeWell@StepOne self-referral programme of courses, workshops, and peer support groups. As a lead partner in the Devon Mental Health Alliance (a five-organisation VCSE consortium launched in 2022), Step One implements the community portion of the NHS Community Mental Health Framework alongside Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Livewell Southwest. Statutory referrals from NHS bodies and Devon County Council drive the majority of clinical and residential revenue, while fundraising, donations, and a Wellbeing@Work corporate training line (Mental Health First Aid, Emotional Resilience, Suicide Awareness, Neurodiversity training) provide supplementary income. The organisation operates from the X Centre on Exeter Quayside (relocated June 2024) and is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired since January 2026 by Lorna Collingwood-Burke, former Chief Nursing Officer for NHS Devon. Step One runs no proprietary technology platform; its digital footprint relies on standard third-party tools (Stripe, Mailchimp, Eventbrite, JustGiving) alongside its website and self-referral online course access.
Step One Charity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Step One Charity
- Legal name
- Step One Charity
- Website
- https://steponecharity.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1937
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Step One Charity is a Devon-based mental health charity providing inpatient rehabilitation, supported living, community support, crisis services, and corporate wellbeing training across Devon, UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Step One Charity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Community Housing Services (62422), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)
Keywords
Where Step One Charity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Exeter
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Step One Charity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- NHS Funding: Step One receives NHS funding for providing inpatient rehabilitation services at Cypress Hospital and community mental health services through the Devon Mental Health Alliance. Referrals are taken from external statutory partners within the NHS.
- Social Care Funding: Funding from Devon County Council and other local authorities for supported living housing and community support services for adults with mental health concerns, autism spectrum conditions, or learning disabilities.
- Donations and Fundraising: Voluntary donations from individuals, community fundraising events, trusts and foundations, and legacy gifts. The charity has developed a fundraising strategy to diversify income beyond statutory funding.
- Training and Workshop Fees: Revenue from businesses for Wellbeing@Work training programmes including Mental Health First Aid Training, Emotional Resilience Training, Suicide Awareness Training, and Neurodiversity training.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | BeWell@StepOne community support services |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Cypress Hospital inpatient rehabilitation |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Supported Living and Community Support |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Wellbeing@Work business training |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Step One Charity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Step One Charity provides mental health and wellbeing services across Devon, UK. Its portfolio includes 24/7 inpatient mental health rehabilitation at Cypress Hospital, supported living housing (including Granvue), one-to-one community support for adults with mental health concerns, autism spectrum conditions, or learning disabilities, self-referral BeWell@StepOne courses, workshops and peer support groups, crisis support via The Moorings @ Devon in Barnstaple, Exeter, and Torquay, and fee-based Wellbeing@Work training for businesses.
Product overview
Step One Charity operates as a mental health and wellbeing support organization offering multiple interconnected services across Devon. The core services include: Cypress Hospital (inpatient mental health rehabilitation), Supported Living Housing, Community Support (one-to-one services), BeWell@StepOne (self-referral mental health support), and the Devon Mental Health Alliance (partnership framework). Additional services include Wellbeing@Work (business training), Courses & Workshops, and Peer Support Groups. The organization takes referrals from NHS and local authority statutory partners for clinical services, while BeWell services allow self-referral. The portfolio spans from intensive inpatient care to community-based support, covering the full spectrum of mental health recovery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BeWell@StepOne: A mental health support service offering online workshops, in-person courses, support groups, activities, and learning opportunities for people and businesses across Devon.
- Cypress Hospital
- Devon Mental Health Alliance
- Supported Living Housing
- The Moorings @ Devon
Products and services
- Cypress Hospital A 24/7 inpatient rehabilitation service in southern and western Devon providing specialist multidisciplinary support (occupational therapists, nurses, psychologist) to adults with complex mental health recovery needs. Referrals are taken from external statutory partners within the NHS.
- Supported Living Housing Safe and supportive housing environment for adults (18+) in Devon with mental health concerns and/or autism spectrum conditions, including 24/7 support at Granvue and other properties, funded by Devon County Council or NHS following social care assessment.
- Community Support One-to-one tailored support service for adults (18+) in Devon with mental health issues, autism spectrum conditions, or learning disabilities, including in-home support, employment support, housing support, and mental health support, available via statutory social care assessment.
- BeWell@StepOne Self-referral mental health support service offering online workshops, in-person courses, support groups, activities, and learning opportunities for adults across Devon, free at point of access.
- Devon Mental Health Alliance Partnership between five local VCSE organisations providing mental health support across Devon. Leads implementation of the Community Mental Health Framework with Recovery Practitioners providing psychologically-informed interventions in collaboration with Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Livewell Southwest.
- Wellbeing@Work Fee-based training and support service for businesses to help create mentally healthy workplaces, including Mental Health First Aid Training, Emotional Resilience Training, Suicide Awareness Training, Neurodiversity Training, and Yoga4Wellbeing, delivered in person or online.
- The Moorings @ Devon Mental health support service for anyone aged 18+ in Devon, with three locations in Barnstaple, Exeter, and Torquay, open 4pm-10pm daily, providing crisis support and community-based mental health assistance.
Quantifiable outcome
- Some service users have progressed from hospital discharge to 24/7 supported living, then to reduced support levels, and eventually to independent living
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Step One Charity
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Step One Charity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Step One Charity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Lyons Bowe SolicitorsminorPartnership for Make a Will Week 2026 (February 23-27). Solicitors donate their time so people can make or update wills, with donations to Step One Charity instead of fees.
- Devon Mental Health Alliance (DMHA)coreA partnership between five local VCSE organisations providing mental health support across Devon. Launched in 2022, DMHA leads implementation of the community portion of the Community Mental Health Framework. Works closely with Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Livewell Southwest to design and deliver improved services.
- Devon Partnership NHS TrustcoreStatutory NHS partner providing referrals to Step One services. Collaborates with DMHA on community mental health framework implementation.
- Devon County CouncilcoreStatutory partner providing social care funding and referrals for community support and supported living services for Devon residents.
- Livewell SouthwestcoreStatutory partner collaborating on Devon Mental Health Alliance and community mental health framework implementation.
- Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation TrustcoreReferral partner for mental health services. Information sharing partner for care coordination.
- Amity VetsminorCollaboration to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing issues within the veterinary profession.
- University of ExeterminorProfessional Pathways programme providing student internships with Step One's Marketing and Fundraising team.
- Devon Community FoundationminorGrant provider supporting team-building events and wellbeing activities for Step One staff.
- Primary Care NetworkscoreRecovery Practitioners link with GPs and primary care networks to help reduce waiting times and ensure service users have access to appropriate support.
- Devon MindcoreDevon Mind x Step One collaboration between two leading mental health charities in Devon, launched April 2021.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights12 records
Step One Charity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- St Andrew's Healthcare: St Andrew's Healthcare is a charitable mental health provider running inpatient and rehabilitation services for adults with complex mental health needs. It is the closest scale-comparable to Step One's Cypress Hospital inpatient rehabilitation unit, although at significantly larger national scope.
- Turning Point: Turning Point is a large UK social enterprise providing mental health, learning disability, and substance use services including supported living, community support, and clinical interventions. It competes for the same NHS and local authority contracts as Step One but at significantly larger national scale.
- Mind (National Association): Mind is the UK's largest mental health charity, providing information, local services via network federations, and policy advocacy. As the parent network of Devon Mind, it competes indirectly with Step One across information, training (Mind's workplace wellbeing programmes), and campaigning space.
Direct peers
- Richmond Fellowship: Richmond Fellowship runs mental health supported housing, community support, and recovery-focused services across the UK. It is highly comparable to Step One's supported living and community support model and competes for similar Devon and South West contracts.
- Together for Mental Wellbeing: Together is a UK charity providing personalised mental health support, including supported living, community-based recovery, and advocacy. It is comparable in service mix to Step One, with overlapping statutory commissioning pathways through local authorities and NHS trusts.
- Mental Health Matters: Mental Health Matters operates The Moorings @ Devon — the crisis support service delivered across Step One's three Moorings locations in Exeter, Torquay, and Barnstaple. They directly co-deliver services with Step One and operate comparable community crisis and wellbeing programmes across the UK.
- Rethink Mental Illness: Rethink Mental Illness is a national mental health charity running supported housing, community services, and inpatient/step-down facilities across the UK. It is directly comparable to Step One's Cypress Hospital, supported living, and community support portfolio, though at much larger national scale.
- Devon Mind: Devon Mind is the local Mind affiliate serving the same Devon geography, offering mental health information, peer support, and training. It is Step One's closest collaborator (Devon Mind x Step One partnership, 2021) and its closest competitor for local statutory contracts, donor attention, and volunteer capacity.
- United Response: United Response is a UK charity providing supported living and personal support for people with mental health needs, autism, and learning disabilities. It overlaps directly with Step One's supported living housing and community support services for adults with autism and mental health conditions.
Regional players
- Livewell Southwest: Livewell Southwest is an NHS-aligned social enterprise delivering community health and mental health services across Devon and Cornwall. It is a Core DMHA partner alongside Step One and is a peer for Devon-specific community mental health commissioning and service delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Step One Charity social profiles
Digital presenceStep One Charity compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Step One Charity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Step One Charity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Step One Charity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Step One Charity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Step One Charity
What does Step One Charity do?
Step One Charity provides mental health and wellbeing services across Devon, UK. Its portfolio includes 24/7 inpatient mental health rehabilitation at Cypress Hospital, supported living housing (including Granvue), one-to-one community support for adults with mental health concerns, autism spectrum conditions, or learning disabilities, self-referral BeWell@StepOne courses, workshops and peer support groups, crisis support via The Moorings @ Devon in Barnstaple, Exeter, and Torquay, and fee-based Wellbeing@Work training for businesses.
Is Step One Charity a public or private company?
Step One Charity is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Step One Charity founded?
Step One Charity was founded in 1937. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Step One Charity based?
Step One Charity is headquartered in Exeter, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Step One Charity make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. NHS Funding is the primary driver. The others are social Care Funding, donations and Fundraising and training and Workshop Fees.
Who are Step One Charity's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are St Andrew's Healthcare, Turning Point and Mind (National Association). Direct peers are Richmond Fellowship, Together for Mental Wellbeing, Mental Health Matters, Rethink Mental Illness, Devon Mind and United Response. Livewell Southwest is listed as a regional player.
Does Step One Charity have an API?
No public API is recorded for Step One Charity.
What industry is Step One Charity in?
Step One Charity's product category is Mental Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAD, Mental Health & Crisis Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAH, Mental Health & Crisis Support Services. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.