The projects are being funded by the Connecting Thamesmead programme – a partnership between Peabody, the London Borough of Bexley and Royal Borough of Greenwich – through Peabody’s Thamesmead Community Fund. This offers grants of up to £3,000 each to charities, groups and individuals who want to deliver environmental, social and cultural activities that benefit local people.
Supporting local communities to deliver initiatives to help people be happier, healthier and wealthier is a key part of our work to improve, grow and look after Thamesmead for the long term.
Thamesmead's Community Fund Panel, which includes four local residents, voted for the following five projects:
SENDability
A 10-week programme for children and young people with special educational needs (SEND), as well as their parents and carers. Delivered by The Morning Dew Foundation.
SENDability delivers workshops and activities aimed at improving the skills of children with SEND, while guiding parents to best support their children in different settings. Each session will include a roleplay activity that replicates a different public space or an at-home scenario. The programme will close with a celebratory event that showcases the work completed by the young people throughout the course. Sessions are running until 3 April.
Thamesmead Live Music event
An opportunity for local musicians to perform live in their community. Delivered by Jerusha Ujanga.
The Thamesmead Live Music events were created to allow local artists to express their musical talent, hone their craft and practice the art of performance in front of a crowd. The first show of 2024 will take place on 30 March at the Moorings Sociable Club, and will feature a diverse range of talented musicians.
Feel Good Centre
A weekly social club for residents aged 50+. Delivered by the Listening Ears charity.
Thamesmead’s Feel Good Centre runs from The Nest Community Building every Monday afternoon. The social club goes beyond conventional efforts to combat isolation for people over 50. It’s a vibrant hub that offers engaging activities that improve both physical and mental vitality. Participants get to enjoy gentle exercises, interactive sessions which foster new friendships, and tailored programmes that address individual needs. Board games and bingo add an element of friendly competition, and health talks give people useful information.
Mum’s Aid
Art therapy for local mums. Delivered by Art Group Facilitator Tanaz Assefi.
Mum’s Aid sessions are for pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of three. They provide a space for mums to relax, get creative with mark making (art that uses lines, dots, marks, patterns and textures) and discuss a range of topics. All art supplies will be provided, and a childminder will be present at all sessions to allow people to fully immerse themselves in the experience. At the end of the course, Mum’s Aid will host an exhibition to showcase the artworks created by participants. Sessions will begin in March.
Thrive Youth club
A weekly after school club that focuses on soft skills development, career development, games and activities. Delivered by Parent Power Education.
Open to children aged 10 – 14, Thrive Youth sessions include activities like sports, board games, arts and crafts, drama and conversation tables. The programme was created to support young people’s wellbeing by helping them to develop important life skills. They’ll learn about things like resilience, digital safety, manging emotions, making healthy choices, developing healthy relationships and planning for the future. Sessions will run every Friday from 4pm-6pm at the Moorings Sociable Club, ending on 29 March.
Rachel Carder, Peabody’s Programme Manager for Connecting Thamesmead, said: “We’re so excited to be supporting these five fantastic projects. They’ll be each of huge benefit to the local community, and collectively they’ll involve diverse groups of people from across Thamesmead. We look forward to seeing how the projects are delivered, and will be sure to follow each group’s progress.”
Find out more about Connecting Thamesmead here.
Find out more about the Thamesmead Community Fund here.
