Our members include mental health professionals, clients and service users, family and friends, local Lewisham people – all of whom have an interest in improving mental health in Lewisham. We collaborate on events, activities and projects, where to do so means a better outcome for the people of Lewisham who participate.
You can join the Lewisham Mental Health Connection network by clicking here, to visit our Meetup site.
Our members and supporters include:
Quo Vadis Trust is a specialist housing charity, working with people who have experienced or are currently living with severe mental ill health. Quo Vadis Trust believes that the basis of recovery for an individual is safe, pleasant, warm and comfortable housing. A decent home is essential to mental health stability and recovery. Quo Vadis Trust also has an innovative and exciting approach to promoting recovery and ensuring that their clients have a great quality of life; they encourage clients to look to the future, develop skills and maximise their independence and enjoyment of life.
Equinox Lewisham has a range of supported housing services and an independent living scheme. Service users are supported for up to 2 years to attain the necessary skills to maintain independent living, sustain tenancies and resettle successfully in the community. Multiagency working with the Lewisham mental health sector is key to achieving this.
Family Action Lewisham works to tackle some of the most complex and difficult issues facing families today – including financial hardship, mental health problems, social isolation, learning disabilities, domestic abuse, or substance misuse and alcohol problems.
Voluntary Action Lewisham is an independent charitable organisation that supports the voluntary and community sector in the London borough of Lewisham. VAL builds a resilient voluntary and community sector that is responsive to the diverse needs of our local communities. They lead discussion and promote action that will enable sector organisations to respond to the challenges of change. They improve the way sector organisations are represented and have a voice. They provide tailored support to meet the different needs of local groups. They champion new ways of working together and strengthen the VCS role in shaping local statutory policy and use of resources.
Hexagon Housing (Newstead Road) provides personalised support to 12 people in a purpose-built property comprising 12 self-contained flats with full mobility access, generous communal facilities and gardens. A core team of skilled staff provide 24 hour support focusing on managing mental health, tenancy sustainment and day to day activities with the aim of increasing confidence and self esteem and skills for independent living.
Animals for Therapy is part of Animal Days Out CIC, providing Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) for individuals, groups, parents and professionals. They offer therapeutic sessions and workshops for many types of groups, schools with special needs provision, residential homes, day centres, hospitals and private health. Their services provide opportunities for children, young people and adults including disadvantaged, disability and community groups, offering a wide range of interactive animal, nature and horticultural based activities.
Bromley & Lewisham Mind works alongside people with mental health needs and dementia, in the London Boroughs of Bromley and Lewisham, to improve their quality of life. They have also put together the Lewisham Mental Health Directory, a valuable mental health and wellbeing resource for the Lewisham area.
IAPT Lewisham is a free and confidential NHS service. The service offers a range psychological therapies to adults 18 years and over, who are registered with a Lewisham GP of live in the borough of Lewisham. The service aim is to help improve the mental wellbeing of people experiencing emotional health difficulties. Please click this link for more information and the online referral form. IAPT Lewisham is provided by the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. It is part of the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme.
Community Connections supports Lewisham residents to access local services that meet their needs around the project’s priorities which are centred on the “Five Ways to Wellbeing”: Connect; Stay Active; Keep Learning; Take Notice; Give. Their Community Support Facilitators work with individuals to improve their wellbeing by focusing on one or more of these key areas and helping them to engage with relevant services that meet their needs and make the most of what they have to offer.
Lewisham Parish (St Mary the Virgin) is the ancient parish church of Lewisham. Their parishioners are a diverse and inclusive community and they work to link their faith to practical action. In the area of mental health and wellbeing, Lewisham Parish have delivered mental health community events and activities.
The Mental Health Providers’ Forum is the leading voice representing voluntary sector mental health service providers across England. MHPF is a platform which represents its membership, facilitating collaborative and co-operative partnerships across the voluntary and community mental health sector. It is an organisation which promotes innovation, working to shape and grow the market, influence and evidence best practice and achieve the best possible outcomes for individuals.
A Caring Mind is a blog aimed at carers of people who experience mental ill health. Run by Matthew McKenzie, who is a SLaM Governer and carer, A Caring Mind creates a path where other carers can use and find something new to aid them on their own journey. The blog also supports other causes along mental health themes.
Network Arts Lewisham was formed in 1996, offering creative services to people living in Lewisham who have severe and enduring mental health support needs. It is now part of South East London Arts Network (SELAN) which is a charitable organisation offering holistic arts and crafts based activities for people living in South East London who have mental health support needs.
Sydenham Garden is an award-winning community charity, providing gardening, nature conservation and creative opportunities. The charity aims to improve wellbeing through therapeutic activity, enabling people to move forward in a supportive community environment. They offer a range of activities and opportunities for the local community, but their main focus is for those experiencing mental ill health or other significant illness.
Lewisham Mental Health Connection 