Welcome to Hope in the Community Westminster – a space where voluntary organisations in Westminster can run activities, services and groups focused on mental health and wellbeing.
These activities and support services run from Monday to Saturday afternoon and the majority are free to attend.
You can browse through our upcoming sessions below whichare open to anyone who lives, works or volunteers in Westminster borough.
Currently, our timetable is mainly made up of closed groups as our partnering organistions arrange their own invites and attendees but we are striving to build even more partnerships and offer a greater range of activities which can be booked directly through this page.
How do I book a place on a session?
Browse through our upcoming activities below and get in touch with the contact listed for the session(s) that interest you, They can then book you a place!
Recovery College - Every Monday (1-7pm)
Courses for local residents run in collaboration with other community partners and individual meetings with students to support people’s recovery journeys.
Email fiona.eastmond@nhs.net to book a place. Find out more about recovery college here.
Recovery College are holding an Open Day on Monday 2 September (9am-7pm)!
Visual Storytelling Workshop – Wednesday 24 July (3:30-5:00pm)
‘I see what you mean’ is a visual storytelling workshop guiding you through a wellbeing creative process using photos/images to create narratives, connected to and inspired by your surroundings and everyday life.
The workshop will be interactive and participatory. Please note that you do not need any prior art experience or skills to participate in this workshop. No artistic tools are required other than a phone with a camera. If possible, please do bring one small object that you usually use in your daily life.
To sign up for the workshop, please email: sally@sallysouraya.com.
Other sessions on Wednesday 28 August, 25 September, 23 October
Age UK - Thursday 25 July (1-3pm)
Bi-weekly social get-together for local residents aged 60+ – residents will co-plan and co-produce activities like digital support, information & advice or building new friendships.
Email enquiries@ageukwestminster.org.uk to book a place.
Also sessions on Thursday 8 August and Thursday 22 August (same time)
Gamcare - Wednesday 21 August (4-7pm)
Monthly drop-in sessions where individuals can access help and brief interventions covering Information, Advice and Guidance, and signposting to further support. Followed by 1 hour awareness sessions.
Email London@gamcare.org.uk to book a place.
University of Westminster Creative Wellbeing Workshop for the LGBTQ+ Community – Saturday 21 September (11am-1pm)
You are warmly invited to join the creative workshop series ‘Queer Love Letters’. Boost your wellbeing through creativity and connection in this pioneering new workshop celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community.
Create a love letter to your beloved ones (a friend, a lover, a family member, a pet or yourself!) through written and spoken word, visual art, sound or movement. All are welcome to attend one or more of these!
The workshops are free, but booking is required through this link:
https://www.outsavvy.com/event/18562/queer-love-letters-creative-wellbeing-workshop
Other sessions on Saturday 19 October and 16 November
The space is owned by CNWL but branded in partnership with Chasing the Stigma. It is located on the ground floor of the Gordon Hospital but functions independently from The Gordon Hospital’s clinical spaces and is not subject to the recent public consultation into the building’s future.
Here you can see some photos of the newly refurbished space:
Hope in the Community Westminster is located on the Ground Floor of the Gordon Hospital, Bloomburg Street, London, SW1V 2RH.
Nearest Tube Stations: Pimlico (Victoria Line); Victoria (Victoria, Circle and District Lines)
Bus Routes: 2, 24, 26, 36
Activities will run six days a week:
- Monday-Friday – 9am to 7pm
- Saturday – 9am to 2pm
Hope in the Community provides third sector organisations with a free space to run services, activities and groups that focus on wellness.
Based in the heart of Westminster, this community hub was designed through collaborative working with national charity, Chasing the Stigma, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, patients, carers and local residents.
Its goal is to offer a safe haven and encourage equitable community access to mental health and wellbeing initiatives in a non-clinical setting. It should target and reduce entrenched health inequalities that remain pervasive throughout the population.
The day-to-day operations will be carried out by VCSE partners who have proposed various services and activities for the hub. These can range from:
- Drop in sessions for practical advice and support
- Training and development sessions
- Lived experience / peer support groups
- Physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing activities
- Any other sessions that incorporate learning, social prescribing or community support
The hub is designed to welcome individuals who may feel marginalised and disconnected from the Trust’s mental health support services, as well as individuals with enduring mental health conditions who would benefit from ongoing day activities in a secure and non-judgmental setting, alongside their formal care plan.
This space is owned by CNWL but branded in partnership with national charity Chasing the Stigma (CTS), making Hope in the Community an offer with collaboration at its heart. CNWL partnered with CTS in 2021 and has embedded their Hub of Hope App into its website and mental health services.
The space has been designed through collaborative working with Chasing the Stigma, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, patients, carers and local residents from Westminster.
Do you run a voluntary, community or social enterprise activity in Westminster?
Do you have a session in mind that offers learning, social prescribing and/or community support?
Do you need a space to operate from?
Even if you just want to discuss a potential idea for a session with us, please reach out to cnwl.hope.westminster@nhs.net
Hope in the Community Westminster offers organisations slots to run closed groups. These sessions are not open to the general public but they enable our partners to operate from an accessible, multi-functional space. Here are some partners who run closed sessions with us:
Abbey Centre
Safe and confidential sessions with Community Mental Health Workers including one-to-one drop-in sessions and peer to peer support.
Carer's Network
Meetings for Unpaid Carers who the Network supports in the borough of Westminster. This could be on a one-to-one basis via use of pods or group activities in main meeting room.
Dignify CIC
A space to co-produce helpful resources and training programmes for people at various stages of the mental health pathway including literacy, teamwork, interpersonal skills etc.
Closed session but email dignifycic@gmail.com to learn more.
The Listening Place
Training sessions for volunteers who can then offer face-to-face support and non-judgemental listening to individuals in need.
Marylebone Project
A supportive space for women experiencing homelessness created by and for women who have experienced homelessness.
Meet our Community Partnerships and Engagement team. We have supported in the co-design and now oversee the operations of Hope in the Community Westminster!
Tariro Gumbo is the Senior Strategic Lead for Community Partnerships and Engagement. Get in touch if you have an idea for a session or activity that you’d like to discuss or if you want to learn more about the creation of Hope in the Community Westminster! Contact: Tariro.gumbo@nhs.net.
Emma Ratcliffe (Project Delivery Officer) and Bleona Ftera (Senior Administrator) are the points of contact if you have any questions about the space in regards to capacity, resources, scheduling, functionality etc. They are also the main point of contact for our existing partners in regards to bookings, logistics etc. You can reach them at cnwl.hope.westminster@nhs.net.
Joseph Kelly is the Communications and Partnerships Officer. Please reach out to him at joseph.kelly8@nhs.net if you’re an existing partner and you need help promoting your activity!
Another key offer from our team is free MHFA Ambassadors Training for anyone who lives, works or volunteers in Westminster. This two-day training course is designed to empower you to spot early signs of ill health, build the confidence to start supportive conversations and learn how to signpost people to essential services. We invite you to a book a place here or reach out to Priscilla Joseph (priscilla.joseph@nhs.net) and Henriques Nunes (henriques.nunes@nhs.net) to ask about future dates.
Hub of Hope is Chasing the Stigma's mental health directory, where you can search for mental health services local to your area. Just type in your postcode and you'll be directed to organisations in your locality that can support you.