About Us
Bringing HOPE to Young Lives
Founded in 1996, our charity has been dedicated to bringing hope to young lives, supporting children, young people, and their families—particularly those facing emotional and mental health challenges—across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, and Greater London. Through our Relational Approach, we build long-term, trusted connections that empower individuals to navigate life’s difficulties, strengthen their mental health, and discover their worth. Working in schools, hospitals, and GP surgeries, we provide one-to-one support, group programs, and whole-project initiatives, meeting people where they are and walking alongside them toward hope and personal growth. Our vision is a world where every child, young person, and family flourishes through meaningful relationships, resilience, and renewed confidence—a mission we bring to life every day, with 93% of those we supported in 2024/25 reporting that our help met their needs.
Through our Ethos, we believe that working together should be enjoyable. Time spent with
children, young people, families, partners, and stakeholders should foster connection, laughter,
and a shared understanding that we are all “works in progress” (FUN).
We are committed to building strong, selfless relationships. By journeying alongside children,
young people, families, and communities, we create long-term, meaningful connections
(COMMUNITY).
We are devoted to our mission and purpose, standing alongside those we support whenever
they need us, and working toward lasting, positive outcomes (DEVOTED).
We put the needs of others first. We go the extra mile to ensure the best outcomes for children, young people, and families (SELFLESS).
Our “yes” means yes, and our “no” means no. Partners and families can have confidence that we act reliably, guided by our ethos and relational approach (INTEGRITY).
Compassion drives everything we do. We build relationships that offer hope and transformation, guided by a heartfelt commitment to the wellbeing of those we support (COMPASSION).
Meet The Senior Leadership Team
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Our Story
The start of east to west
Steve Holloway's Story- Founding CEO of east to west
Steve grew up in a Christian home but only truly embraced his faith after a close friends death. Wanting to live differently, he publicly declared his new faith at school leading around 30 students to become Christians. That same day he rediscovered a badge given to him years earlier by a pastor symbolising evangelism which seemed to confirm his new calling.
Steve then spent a year (1989-1990) travelling the UK with this pastor speaking in schools and sharing the Christian message. After a brief time at bible college he realised he wanted to formalise this work and east to west was born, inspired by Psalm 103:12- as far as the east is from the west. The charity's vision was to give as many people as possible an opportunity to respond to God's call.
Identity, values and mission
Andy Burn's- The next CEO
During the early days of east to west the organisation's work was diverse from school assemblies and youth work to homelessness and family support. Andy led the team to look beyond their activities and discover a shared purpose rooted in relationships.
Inspired by the bibical story of the road to emmaus, east to west developed its model of relational support work. Walking alongside people through life's challenges, helping them move from lament towards hope. This led to the defining phrase- Bringing hope to young lives or as Andy preferred journeying towards hope.
Under his leadership the charity identified a set of core values- being devoted, compassionate, selfless, fun, community minded and full of integrity. These values became the DNA of the organisation and shaped how every team member worked and related to others. Schools and partners began to describe east to west workers using those very same words- proof that the culture was authentic and lived out.
The vision
Ant Horton- The third CEO
When Ant started at east to west he recognised that he was standing on strong foundation led by Steve and Andy, a legacy built on faith, relationships and compassion. During his leadership he learned to sense and respond to how east to west was moving, rather than trying to control outcomes. He believed that when the organisation focused on its values- putting people and relationships first the vision naturally followed. east to west has always been people first, young people first and team first trusting everything else would be worked through.
A key moment came during a meeting with Surrey County Council and NHS leaders to discuss improving youth mental health services. During the meeting a senior official said " we need to love young people". Ant's instantly recognised east to west can do that because love is already central to who east to west was. It was also the birth of new projects such as supporting children and young people in hospital's. Supporting young people through love, presence and relationship where they are at whether that would be schools, hospitals or the local community. It was not about control or strategy but about walking with people and trusting for transformation
Board of Trustees
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Work for east to west
Join us in making a difference! Whether you’re looking to contribute your skills as a volunteer or explore meaningful employment, we welcome passionate individuals who share our commitment to helping others. Every role—big or small—plays a vital part in creating positive change in our community. Together, we can make a lasting impact.
Head teacher-
Matthew Arnold School
East to West provision has had a significant and positive impact at The Matthew Arnold School. Supporting between 30 to 50 students each year, it provides a safe and nurturing space for young people to discuss personal and emotional issues, helping them feel heard and understood. This intervention is a vital part of the school’s pastoral support, offering families an additional layer of care and guidance that strengthens the overall wellbeing of the school community.
Designated Safeguard Lead- Winston Churchill School
East to West have been working with us since 2021, and in that time they’ve had such a positive impact at Winston Churchill School. The team have built really strong, trusting relationships with our pupils, and their presence has become a real source of stability and reassurance for so many of our young people. They create safe spaces where pupils feel listened to, valued and supported. East to West’s work fits perfectly with the ethos of our school, and together we’re able to support our pupils’ emotional and social needs in a much more meaningful way. We’re genuinely so grateful for all of their continued work with our students
Deputy Headteacher-
Villiers High School
The service provided by East to West has been nothing short of outstanding. From our very first contact through to the full setup, the process has been smooth, supportive, and professional. east to west have quickly become an integral part of our school community and are already making a noticeable difference in the lives of our students. We couldn’t be more impressed and would wholeheartedly recommend East to West to any school looking for impactful, compassionate support for their students
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Unit 4A, 80 High Street
Egham
Surrey
TW20 9HE
Company Registration Num: 6972769
Charity Num: 1131229
