Posted on: 1 April 2025
Love is universal. It transcends borders, cultures, and time; a thread that weaves through every human experience. This was the essence of the latest Well Written performance from One Community, bringing this theme to life through poetry, music and art.
Timed perfectly with Valentine’s Day, audience members gathered at the Playground Theatre in North Kensington. Among them was Deputy Mayor, Councillor Laura Burns (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea), as well as other One Community members, family, friends and CNWL colleagues. Jon Fryer and colleagues from the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation also joined us at the theatre.
One Community is a peer-led network that emerged from CNWL's mental health wards and the local community, built on the belief that while each member comes from a place of struggle, together, they can create something powerful.
The event was dedicated to Danny Irving, a cherished member who died last year. Danny inspired One Community’s music studio project and many of his closest friends attended the performance in honour of his legacy.
The power of love
Drawing from lived experiences, performers explored different aspects of love: what it feels to love, the things, people and places we love, miss and grieve, types of love, including love for ourselves and complicated love.
Rather than focusing on traditional romance the performance delved deeper, speaking to love’s power in mental health. Love was presented as something that helps people heal and an essential part of inner wellbeing.
One Community Founder, Cate Latto, said:
“It takes courage to write something from your heart that’s deeply personal and moving. The nerves are part of the endeavour, people navigating through them with courage, love, unity and solidarity.”
The performance also highlighted how love is unique to each person, just as the ways of expressing it vary. Through spoken poetry, dance, music, and singing, the artists showcased different forms of emotional expression.
A special zine, filled with poetry and reflections, was handed out to everyone to compliment the performance and the artworks were then projected in the backdrop of the theatre. Rooted in the punk and feminist movements, zines have long been used to amplify voices often unheard.
With a standing ovation, applause echoed through the theatre, accompanied by cheers and tears. Beth Granville, Facilitator, said:
“This is what it’s about. Creativity is everything—otherwise, what have we got? Nothing. The whole world needs One Community.”
The presentation ended with speeches from Cate Latto, Cllr Laura Burns and Chief Operating Officer, Graeme Caul, who also shared a poem with the audience.
Cllr Laura Burns said:
“It’s truly inspiring to see so many people come together, bravely sharing their experiences, ideas, and creativity. That takes courage, especially in front of an audience. With Valentine’s Day, love is already on everyone’s mind, but tonight was a whirlwind, a rollercoaster of what love truly is. One Community is the epitome of love.”
Cate said:
“We had a vision for this performance that would tap into the uniqueness of every single person, because everybody has gifts and talents and strength. Love is the commodity that One Community has always traded in.”
Well Written
Well Written began in 2019 as a collaboration between One Community Founder, Cate Latto, the then Artistic Director of The Playground Theatre, Anthony Biggs, playwright, Stewart Permutt and founding member Laura Cavill, a former patient.
Laura credits One Community with her survival following discharge through lockdown and beyond. Her poem, Container for the Uncontainables, describes the uniqueness of the One Community network:
No efforts we at One Community have needed, but an automatic, inclusive autonomy which supports our network of courageous people.
We are not defined by our struggles nor confined by labels.
One Community opened its doors and we entered, continue to invite ourselves in to the one place we all feel safe.
The project would not have been possible without the generosity of the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation. In 2022, One Community was awarded a three-year grant from the foundation. Since then, the One Community family has grown in numbers, impact and abundance.
To support One Community, or to find out more, please contact: cate.latto@nhs.net