As Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2026 begins, we're inviting staff, service users and the wider public to reflect on this year’s central theme: community.
For many people affected by eating disorders – whether they are living with the condition themselves or supporting someone who is – feelings of isolation can be real. This week is about highlighting the connections that make a difference, reminding each other that no one needs to face these illnesses alone.
For some, community is family and friends offering reassurance during the most challenging moments. For others, it is the peer support found in treatment units, like ours at Rharian Fields, outpatient pathways or networks where shared experiences help people feel understood. Our role is to nurture these networks wherever they exist, strengthening the safety and support surrounding every individual we care for.
Across the organisation, both our inpatient and community eating disorder teams see first-hand how essential a sense of belonging can be in recovery.
At Rharian Fields, the Adult Acute Eating Disorder Service provides intensive inpatient treatment for adults aged 17 and over who require urgent medical stabilisation, structured weight restoration or targeted intervention for high‑risk behaviours such as purging, food avoidance or excessive exercise. Many patients arrive at their most vulnerable, and it is often the therapeutic community within the unit – supported by psychiatrists, nurses, dietitians and psychologists – that helps people regain confidence and hope.
Our Adult Community Eating Disorder Service continues that commitment beyond the ward, delivering evidence‑based psychological treatment tailored to diagnoses including anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. With structured programmes ranging from short interventions to up to 40 sessions for severe anorexia, the team works collaboratively with service users to understand thinking patterns, reduce harmful behaviours and support long‑term recovery.
The First episode Rapid Early intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) pathway further ensures rapid access for young adults early in their illness, helping them stay connected to meaningful parts of their lives while receiving timely specialist care.
Last year, we extended our community eating disorder support into neighbouring North Lincolnshire, opening up pathways for thousands of people who had previously had to find help outside their own communities.