Meet the TEDS team
TEDS is a community based organisation founded by Leigh Best, an accredited children’s psychotherapist and a lecturer in Counselling.
How TEDS started
Leigh Best, a children’s psychotherapist and a lecturer in Counselling set up the voluntary Eating Disorder Service in Liverpool in 2000 following a young family member’s battle with the illness and subsequent recovery many years ago. At the time, Leigh and her family struggled to get the information and support they felt they needed, so Leigh founded a Social Enterprise called TEDS a pro-recovery group, set up to help, encourage and offer support to parents/families and sufferers who required information and assistance with the eating disorder. TEDS open to anyone who requires emotional support, guidance and the opportunity to talk to other sufferers or carers in a secure, confidential environment.
Leigh Best
What we do
Leigh believes in prevention, and early intervention and she developed and delivered workshops in schools throughout the North West to educate and raise awareness to pupils. She is passionate about supporting parents as well as sufferers and she campaigned for the NHS to offer support to parents and carers. Working in partnership with Ruth Carson, Lead Consultant Psychotherapist at the NHS Eating Disorders Service, and through her links with Professor Janet Treasure OBE and Gill Todd, a Senior Clinician at Kings College, London, Leigh delivered the first ever parent’s monthly support programme supporting parents of sufferers within the service. This support for parents continued, something that Leigh is still proud of. However, many people do not engage in the NHS services provided, or are discharged when they are still unwell, so Leigh and her team of volunteers developed a befriending service to offer ongoing support.
Beat
Leigh’s expertise in this field has led to her becoming an “Empowering Families Champion” for Beat, undergoing specialist training to run a programme for parents on a voluntary basis. She is also an “Experienced Carers Coach” and trained in Motivational Interviewing Techniques at Guys Hospital, London, as part of the ECHO research project supporting parents of sufferers.
Conferences
In 2009, with no financial backing, Leigh and a small team of volunteers organised the first Eating Disorders Health Conference in the North West at Liverpool John Moores University. The event brought together health professionals, sufferers, and carers in a collaborative and supportive way, with contributions from leading specialists including Professor Janet Treasure OBE, Professor Simon Gowers, and Dr Sandeep Ranote, who became a valued ally of TEDS. The conference proved highly successful and went on to become an annual event, welcoming specialists who shared their expertise to support those affected by eating disorders. The most recent conference took place in September 2025 at the Quaker Meeting House in Liverpool, continuing this tradition of learning, connection, and hope.
Children and Young Persons Eating Disorders Pathway
Following the first conference, Leigh met with key staff from NHS Services over a 2 year period, looking at improving children’s services in the city. This has resulted in the further development of a Children and Young Persons ED pathway, which is now in place in every GP system in Liverpool.
Our volunteers
Tina Marsh
Co-Director, Administrative & Financial Volunteer Lead
Tina is a mum of two who became involved with TEDS in 2013, when her youngest daughter fell seriously ill with anorexia. Through the group, both her and her family found vital support and ongoing guidance from Leigh and the other families during an incredibly difficult time.
Over the years, Tina formed a strong friendship with Leigh and was keen to contribute more than simply attending the monthly sessions. For the past ten years, she has supported meetings, helped arrange conferences and presentations, and worked alongside Leigh with the day-to-day running of the group. She also takes an active role in the training days provided by TEDS.
As Tina says “TEDS is not just a support group – it feels like a family. We welcome anyone at any stage of illness or recovery, as well as family members and friends who may need support”.
Nicky McGrath
Specialist Mental Health and Autism Volunteer Lead
Nicky has been part of the TEDs community since 2013, after reaching out for help with her own longstanding eating disorder. After her recovery, she chose to remain with TEDS to help others find the understanding and support she had received.
She is now TEDs Specialist Mental Health and Autism Volunteer Lead and Social Media Manager, combining professional expertise with lived experience to shape compassionate, accessible support.
As well as being a qualified Mental Health Nurse and qualified Mental Health First Aider, Nicky also holds multiple qualifications in autism and other neurodivergent conditions, many of which are accredited by the National Autistic Society and is doing ongoing training in mental health and trauma-informed care.
She is passionate about improving awareness of how autism and neurodivergence intersect with eating disorders and ensuring services are inclusive for all.
Lisa Poole
Creative & Marketing Volunteer Lead
Lisa is a mum of three and a long-standing supporter of TEDS, having helped at conferences, groups, and events for many years. With her sister Leigh as the founder, Lisa has seen the impact eating disorders have on individuals and families, as well as how limited support can often feel.
Driven by compassion and a deep understanding of the challenges people face, Lisa is now a dedicated volunteer with TEDS. She leads and supports its Marketing and Engagement, helping TEDS reach even more people who need a safe, caring space to find hope, connection, and practical support.
Warm, calm, and always ready to listen, Lisa is passionate about making sure no one affected by an eating disorder feels alone, and that every family knows the mighty TEDS is here for them.
Jill Woods
Specialist family support volunteer lead
Jill was introduced to TEDs back in 2015 when her daughter Lucy was suffering with Anorexia. Jill was her primary carer and although Lucy was under NHS services, nothing seemed to be helping. After seeing an advertisement for TEDs support group, Jill and Lucy met Leigh and it’s safe to say the rest is history. The journey to recovery was a long and uphill battle. However, TEDs became a place that not only supported and engaged with Lucy but also offered a safe space and support system for Jill. Attending the monthly carer support groups became a lifeline. Once Lucy began her road to recovery and the light was at the end of the tunnel, Jill continued to attend the support groups and eventually used her knowledge and passion to help other carers find their own hope. For the last 6 years, Jill has been volunteering with TEDs in many ways, one of which has been offering telephone support calls for carers. Jill hopes to continue to support and help within TEDs and is excited to see their services expand and grow in the future
Owen Quirke
Ambassador
I’m a Youth Worker and former Personal Trainer from Liverpool. I’m a runner who loves sports and fitness, which has been a significant part of my journey, both positive and negative. I’ve lived experience of eating disorders and compulsive exercise, which have affected my mental and physical life for the past nine years. I’m still challenged by the symptoms of anorexia nervosa, orthorexia, and anorexia athletica/exercise bulimia. That’s why I’ve decided to help TEDs. This cause is important to me, and I’m passionate about helping to make the sport and fitness industry safer. I want to ensure that people and facilities are well-informed about eating disorders and compulsive exercise.
I want to help people with early intervention and support those who didn’t have it. I wish someone had challenged me with the pursuit of “health”, perfection, or hustle in sports, exercise, and nutrition. That only fuelled my negative thoughts, disordered habits, and masked disorders, obsessions and compulsions as discipline, motivation & commitment.
Sports and fitness can be a powerful driver for eating disorder recovery, but it can also harm recovery without awareness. There’s a high prevalence of eating disorders in the sport and fitness industry. If people aren’t aware of the dangers, things that seem healthy can be intertwined with the development of eating disorders and compulsive exercise. My goal is for sports and fitness centres and people to be fully EDI informed and equipped to deal with the dangers of compulsive exercise
I hope more people will recognise this issue and spread the message, as I want to help develop something that creates lasting change.
