How our funding has made a difference?

Through the Compassionate Communities programme, we’ve awarded vital funding to support fantastic organisations working to enhance the health and wellbeing of people in north west London. Here are just a few of the incredible projects that we began supporting in previous years.

River House Trust

Older people with HIV (OPHIV), fare significantly worse on health, economic and
social indicators than their non-HIV peers. OPHIV tend to be gay men or women, and men from African countries – mostly living alone without family support nearby, and surviving on basic state pensions.

The Ageing with HIV - Reducing the Health Gap project advocates for and supports older people living with HIV as they try to navigate the NHS with their complex health issues. The project includes a series of health and welfare-focused workshops designed to increase knowledge and encourage OPHIV to self-manage their health issues.

Community Action on Dementia, Brent

The number of people living in Brent with dementia is around 4.1%, which is higher than the national average. Although it is crucial that people living with dementia and their carers access treatment and support, particularly immediately after diagnosis, they often struggle to do this.

This project helps people from Brent living with dementia and their carers to improve their understanding of health and the health care system, and how to navigate it. This enables them to gain treatment when they need it and helps to improve their overall health.

Neighbourhood Doulas

The Neighbourhood Doulas Support Services project provides culturally sensitive and trauma-informed support to vulnerable pregnant women who often face significant challenges such as the absence of a birth partner, low income, historical/perinatal mental health issues, racial or socioeconomic marginalisation, and previous trauma, including domestic violence.

Through its network of trained doulas (proficient in various languages), the project aimed to alleviate the anxieties of new mothers, help them build strong foundations, and offer compassionate care tailored to their specific needs.

By focusing on their well-being, we created a nurturing community where every mother feels valued, heard, and well-prepared for the journey of parenthood.

Find Your Voice CIC

Find Your Voice delivers singing programmes of learning to the most vulnerable people living in marginalised communities. These programmes are designed to empower and connect individuals back into their communities.

One programme that this organisation runs, called Everyday People, uses movement and dance, alongside music and multisensory props, in structured programmes of learning, delivered directly into existing social care communities. The programme is able to reach adults with learning disabled through engaging with social care support services in Harrow and Hillingdon.

Afro-Brazilian Arts and Cultural Exchange Institute

This Fighting Inequality project works with vulnerable and marginalised young people, including those from low-income backgrounds and ex-offenders, to improve their mental and physical wellbeing through the use of the martial art of capoeira, acrobatics and dance as a means of engagement.

Positive Movement Project

The Rooted in Growth: Cultivating Fitness and Wellbeing project supports people in Hounslow at risk of poor physical/ mental health and isolation, with activities centred around movement, inspired by nature and mindfulness.  There are two programme elements:  Calming Connections – this including community walks and gardening sessions; and Ground and Grow – which consist of exercise and movement sessions, run by an experienced fitness instructor and wellness facilitator. Both aim to improve the mood and self-esteem of participants, as well as reduce depression, anxiety and stress.

Queen’s Park Community Council (QPCC)

QPCC aims to strengthen community ties and enhanced the quality of life for local residents by fostering a welcoming environment where people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds come
together to engage in social, cultural, and educational activities. QPCC initiatives lead to increased community cohesion, reduced social isolation, and a vibrant, inclusive neighbourhood where everyone feels valued and connected.

The Queen’s Park Intercultural Therapy project provides accessible and culturally
competent mental health support to Queen’s Park residents in Westminster. The project focuses on establishing a community-based intercultural therapy service that directly addresses the mental health challenges faced by diverse families, particularly those from Black, Asian, Arab and minority ethnic communities.

Harrow Association of Disabled People (HAD)

Research shows the people with disabilities can find it hard to access treatment services. Their
exclusion from mainstream society can make it hard for them to speak up for themselves, access services, and gain redress when things go wrong. They face a variety of barriers in education, access to services and employment such as social attitudes and low aspirations which means that they can be easily ignored.

HAD Peer Healthy Living Programme encourages healthier lifestyles and improves access to, and understanding of, the healthcare system by developing skilled volunteer peer supporters who offer advice and guidance on healthy living and accessing healthcare.

Southall Community Alliance (SCA)

Plant to Plate is an innovative partnership project to help Asian and African women from Southall to plant and grow healthy food that can then be transformed into healthy recipes on their plates. It brings together women who are affected by heart disease, type two diabetes and obesity, teaching them about healthy growing, cooking and eating and offering a sustainable solution to manage health problems.

Janpal Basran, Director of SCA said “SCA is delighted to receive Compassionate Communities funding, allowing us to work with and empower disadvantaged Southall women”. 

DanceWest

Dance for Dementia by DanceWest is an inclusive dance programme, tailored for people living with dementia and their families. Launching in 2024 in Hammersmith, Brent, and Ealing, the programme is led by experienced dance health artists with a social café after each class. At the social café, professionals from the health care system will be invited to give presentation with the aim of educating residents on how to access other support services, activities, advice and information.

The project aligns with the charity’s focus area “to lessen the cultural barriers that local people face in accessing dance and physical activities”.

A Clinical Research Nurse from West London NHS Trust said:

"I have been privileged to attend a session run by DanceWest, and observed first-hand how beneficial people living with dementia and their carers find this. Participants gain access to companionship, shared experience and social activity, as well as more nuanced benefits such as exercise of coordination and mental function. All the attendees walked out of the session feeling supported and refreshed, and one lady who was observed to be very agitated in her dementia was ended the session smiling and relaxed”  

Somali Parents CIC

The Somali community does not have an initiative or programme to assist them in understanding their health needs and increase their awareness of the various health services options that they can easily access. The lack of information and support can lead to frustration, demotivation, and loss of confidence in the health system.

‘Community Health Matters (CHM)’ provides drop-in sessions at the White City community centre that provides a space for Somali people to learn more about the healthcare system, e.g. how to communicate with their GP using PATCHS and instructions to help using this. The project also provides information about different options for accessing treatment (e.g. self-care at pharmacies, when to call 111 and walk-in centres)

Project activities include workshops, peer-support, one-to-one support, leaflets in Somali (and other Arabic languages), and podcasts.

This is a great opportunity to enhance community health service access and explore available options."  - Jamal Ismail, Director, Somali Parents.

Cuban Boxing Academy CIC

‘Box Outside the Box’ is aimed at community members who are struggling with their mental and physical health and who lack support networks and the resources to pay for additional help. It provides a supported approach to improving fitness, nutritional intake and wellbeing through a range of physical and social activities such as boxercise, yoga, chess and weekly socialising.

“We are extremely pleased to receive the Compassionate Communities grant for our holistic health and wellbeing work! It will mean we have the capacity and resources to provide a weekly service for some of the most isolated and vulnerable people in the local community” – Marcos Camejo, Director and Founder

For Brian CIC

Positive Spin Cycling aims to increase the physical activity, mobility, and social engagement of people living with dementia in Hammersmith and Fulham, and Kensington and Chelsea. It provides ongoing physical and mental health support, and has even been shown to slow down the symptoms of dementia.

The project works in partnership with Bikeworks CIC.

Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support

EmpowerAbility aims to increase understanding of physical and mental health for autistic adults in Hillingdon and Ealing, improve navigation of health services, and work with health partners to make primary healthcare autism-friendly.

“We are delighted to receive this funding which is extremely vital for autistic adults to enhance their  physical and mental wellbeing” – Antoinette Mullally, Chief Executive

BME Health Forum

Healthy Lifestyles, Health Equalities helps people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities to make sustainable healthy lifestyle changes.

Groups of ten people met on a weekly basis over 3 months. Each participant identified three simple measurable changes to their daily life, relating to their eating, physical activity, and long term habits. Participants committed to changes that are sustainable over 3 months and were likely to make a measurable difference within that time, e.g. weight, physical fitness or blood pressure. Groups  were facilitated by staff from the same communities, who received training and regular support sessions.

There were 12 cohorts of 10 people over 12 months. Each week the group spoke about how they were getting on, and provided encouragement and support to each other. People were supported when accessing physical activities in ways that work for them, e.g. helping to find affordable classes and being accompanied to them to help overcome cultural barriers.  Professional speakers were also invited to the sessions to discuss health issues.

The Rena Initiative CIC

‘The RENA Initiative presents: HeArty’ is a fun, community led year-long project bringing women—including gender identifying women, transgender women and non-binary people—together to provide peer support and advice through visual art workshops, discussions, mentoring and physical health activities.

The project delivered the primary focus of ‘peer support and community groups’ through:

A) 10 monthly 2-hour HeArty painting workshops: A health-themed art workshops, which include a menopause specialist co-delivering a workshop where women share experiences, improve their understanding of the menopause and how to navigate the healthcare system, while creating visual art representing their feelings about menopause

B) 10 monthly 30-minute strength workshops

C) 10 monthly small group mentoring sessions: Training to help build confidence, improve mental health and empower service users with the practical, technical, and personal skills to develop their own community project ideas.

Rena Initiative’s CEO, Mellezia Bovell said “we are delighted to again partner with Imperial Health Charity. Thank you!”

Mosaic Community Trust

The ‘Patient Care and Wellbeing Drop-in Project’ enhances the care and well-being of patients, with a focus on those awaiting surgery or treatment, especially in the field of orthopaedics.

The project has four distinctive components, each designed to provide comprehensive support to patients in need. These are: holistic patient support; health literacy support; basic health checks and lifestyle guidance; and movement and deep breathing exercises. These components are all based on several years of experience in the community and have been carefully selected and designed with full participation of service users. 

The project aligns with Mosaic Trust’s commitment to enhancing patient care and well-being, ensuring that individuals have access to the support and resources they need for a healthier and more informed healthcare experience.

“This grant will greatly benefit socially deprived patients during their wait for surgery through a planned and culturally appropriate service” - Lena Choudary-Salter, CEO.