Meet the Team
At Cresco, everything we do starts with people. Our team brings together lived experience of farming, equestrian life and rural communities with professional training in mental health and wellbeing. We understand the pressures that come with long days, unpredictable seasons and caring for land and animals, because many of us have been there ourselves. Together, we’re here to offer calm, practical support that fits real rural life – walking alongside you, listening without judgement and helping you find a way forward that feels safe, sustainable and hopeful.
ROSEMARY EKPIKEN
TRUSTEE & SAFEGUARDING LEAD
"Never underestimate the difference it can make when somebody feels genuinely heard.."
Rosemary brings almost five decades of mental health nursing experience to Cresco, with a career spanning inpatient wards, community mental health, A&E and crisis services. She also has specialist academic and professional experience in substance misuse, giving her a wealth of knowledge about the complex relationship between mental health, addiction and the circumstances surrounding people’s lives. Throughout her career, Rosemary has supported people at some of their most difficult moments. That experience has strengthened her belief in the importance of recognising problems earlier, understanding what sits behind them and creating opportunities for people to receive support long before reaching crisis. Within Cresco, Rosemary brings clinical knowledge, experience and a thoughtful, compassionate perspective. She is also passionate about education and research and ensuring that Cresco continues to learn from both evidence and the people it exists to support. For Rosemary, Cresco is an opportunity to take everything she has learned throughout her career and help build something for the next generation. Her hope is that Cresco contributes not only to individual lives, but to lasting improvements in how mental health and substance misuse are understood and addressed within agriculture.
ALYSIA EKPIKEN
TRUSTEE & PROJECT LEAD
"Addiction & poor mental health doesn't deifine who you are."
Alysia co-founded Cresco with a particular passion for changing the conversation around substance misuse, mental health and the people who can too easily be overlooked within agricultural and rural communities. She is passionate about challenging the stigma surrounding addiction and moving away from the idea that substance misuse is a personal failing. For Alysia, it is important to understand what may be happening underneath someone’s alcohol or drug use and to create an environment where people can ask for help without fear of judgement or shame. As a Black woman, Alysia is also passionate about diversity and representation. Agriculture and rural life are not experienced in the same way by everyone, and she wants Cresco to recognise the different cultural, social and personal barriers that can affect whether somebody feels represented, understood or able to access support. Alysia brings creativity, determination and a willingness to challenge the way things have always been done. Her hope is for Cresco to become a genuinely inclusive organisation that changes how substance misuse is understood and talked about across rural communities.
THOMAS YOUNG
TRUSTEE & COMMUNITY LEAD
"You don't have to have all the answers. Sometimes, the first step is simply being honest about how you're feeling."
Thomas brings a deep-rooted connection to agriculture and rural life to Cresco. Coming from a farming background, he understands both the pride and pressures that come with life on the land, as well as the long-standing culture of simply getting on with things when times are tough. Having personally experienced and witnessed the impact of poor mental health and substance misuse within close circles and rural communities, Thomas is passionate about creating a space where people feel able to speak openly, without judgement, stigma or shame. He believes that too many people suffer in silence and that meaningful change can begin with something as simple as asking, “How are you, really?” With a passion for community, connection and challenging outdated attitudes, Thomas helps shape Cresco's voice, outreach and wider vision. He is particularly focused on ensuring that Cresco feels relatable, accessible and grounded in the realities of rural life, meeting people where they are and speaking to them on their terms. Over the coming years, Thomas hopes to see Cresco become a trusted part of rural communities, helping to normalise conversations around mental health, substance misuse and asking for support.
AERAN MERRILLS
TRUSTEE & MENTAL HEALTH LEAD
"Growth begins when we feel safe enough to be heard, accepted enough to be ourselves and supported enough to take the next step."
Aeran has strong connections to farming and has worked as a mental health specialist across a range of sectors. He also holds professional credentials in addictions counselling, an area he has a particular interest in and continues to be passionate about. Aeran takes a person-centred approach to his work, believing that everyone has the capacity to grow, develop and move forward, but that life, circumstances and experiences can sometimes knock us off that path. He believes effective support isn't about telling someone what they should do, but understanding where they are, what has brought them there and helping them find their own way forward. His interest in addiction is particularly relevant to agriculture, where alcohol and substance use can sometimes become widely accepted as a way of coping with pressure, stress and the challenges of rural life. Aeran believes that breaking down the stigma around substance and alcohol dependence starts with creating spaces where people can speak honestly about what is happening without fear of judgement. Aeran co-founded Cresco after recognising that people working in agriculture don't always actively seek support when they need it. That became particularly clear one day when he found himself sitting in the spare seat of a tractor, having a conversation with someone about their mental health. It highlighted something simple but important: sometimes, you have to take support to people rather than wait for them to come to you. That experience helped shape the idea behind Cresco — if people don't come to us, we can go to them and walk alongside them. Aeran hopes to see Cresco become a trusted source of support across agricultural, equestrian and rural communities, making mental health and addiction support more accessible, relatable and free from judgement. For Aeran, Cresco is about meeting people where they are, recognising their potential and helping them get back on the path towards growth.