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Check out all the latest news and updates from the Abbey Community Association.
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Abbey News
Inside this issue
SW Health Fair ........... 1
Prince Charles visit ..... 1
Member Spotlight ...... 2
Winter Festival ........... 2
Mother Language Day 2
SW TimeBank ............. 2
Staff/Trustee Update .. 2
A Moveable Crèche .... 2
Arts Exhibition ............ 3
Abbey Bookworms ..... 3
Volunteering .............. 3
Gardening Club........... 3
Homeless Welfare ...... 4
Windsor Castle trip ..... 4
Diary Dates ................ 4
Abbey Housemates .... 4
Ullswater Concert ....... 4
Spring 2015
34 Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BU · 0207 222 0303 · email: [email protected] · website: www.theabbeycentre.org.uk (If you would prefer to receive this newsletter via email, please contact us using the address above to join our mailing list)
65 years supporting healthy & cohesive communities in South Westminster
Look who’s wearing the Abbey Crown!
In March we were delighted to welcome HRH Prince Charles to the Abbey Centre
as a special guest for an event hosted by Business in the Community. This was
his second visit to the centre & after
being greeted by Abbey Centre CEO
Lainya Keivani & Business Connector
Jamie (left), he took time to meet
& greet members of our Sew Stylish
classes and volunteers from our
TimeBank IT Drop-In sessions. Our
customers in the Wash House Café
were surprised to share their lunch
break with royalty!
South Westminster Spring Health Fair
More than 30 local organisations joined forces
in March to welcome over 120 local residents
for our South Westminster Health Fair.
Members and guests of all ages enjoyed one-
stop access to information & advice on local
health & wellbeing services as well as the
chance to sample free treatments, physical
activity taster sessions & healthy refreshments.
Many thanks to all our volunteers, stall holders
and service providers , including some fantastic
entertainers for the children, who made it such
a fun & successful event.
Our Health & Wellbeing Manager, Phayza, shows how to burn calories to make a delicious smoothie at the event—Thirsty work !
Members of the Abbey
staff team on hand to
make sure HRH received
a warm welcome!
Member Spotlight!
Member & volunteer Latifa Raffai is a familiar face here at the Abbey Centre, having
recently completed the Cook & Eat sessions &
joined the Exercise to Music course. She also helps to facilitate the BME Elders
Social Group by helping to interpret for the members.
“The Abbey Centre is like a family home! So much is
going on that you can give & gain at the same time. I even enjoy cleaning up the kitchen as the staff are so
friendly & we always laugh together”
South Westminster Time Bank
The SW Timebank Computer drop-in
classes are open to anyone & now
available in 3 venues! Visit Victoria
Library (Mondays 1-3pm) , Abbey
Centre (Wednesdays 10am-12noon), or the Churchill
Gardens Open Age Hub (Fridays 1-3pm) No booking
required. For more info contact Ian on 020 7220303.
Trustee and Staff Update
Welcome to Tania Faraj (left)
who joins as Wellbeing Project
Assistant and also to Assia
Donovan (right) who started as
Community Project Assistant.
We bid a fond farewell to our Community
Engagement & Enterprise Manager, Caroline
Richardson, who is moving on to pastures
new after working here for 7 years! We’d like
to thank her for the great work she’s done &
wish her all the best in her promotion.
We also say goodbye to Community Health Worker
Marufa Chowdhury & wish her good luck for the future.
Winter Festival Our fabulous Winter Fun Festival ,
launching SW Connects, took
place in February. Local military
Families and wider local families
Joined in the fun, enjoying a
variety of activities including
outdoor games, magic show with
Jonathon, free manicures courtesy
of London College of Beauty Therapy; singer Dee McAlinden, wellbeing treatments
from Abbey regular, Rima and a fantastic hot finger buffet! Local military personnel
from Wellington Barracks laid on some fun games and even brought prizes!
International Mother Language Day
On Sunday 1st March local people came
together to celebrate International
Mother Language Day in partnership with
the Westminster Bangladeshi Association.
The Day has been observed every year
since February 2000 to promote linguistic
and cultural diversity and multilingualism.
“This event enabled me
to see friends and feel less
lonely”
Abbey Member
A Movable Crèche—Mobile Childcare
Did you know that the Abbey
Centre runs a mobile crèche?
The social enterprise helps to
provide work for local women &
provides childcare for ages 0-8
at your venue! Please contact
for more information.
Local residents Jackie Wilkinson and Richard Walters are
confirmed as new trustees, bringing skills & experience of
finance & policy to the Board.
To ALL our volunteers, ‘Thank you - we couldn’t do it without you!’
Giving from the Heart - Volunteering
This year we’ve benefited from the skills & time of over
309 individuals, through Volunteering, Timebanking &
CSR, who have generously donated a total of
6399 hours! Thanks in particular to
Timebank mentors Lars, Blaine &
Lohrasb who help run weekly IT &
ESOL drop-in classes for members.
Wellbeing Arts Exhibition
On Thursday 2nd April we held an exhibition of stunning
artwork created by participants of the Wellbeing Arts
Workshops. 10 service users displayed painting, sculpture
& photography exploring the stigma of mental health. Big
thanks to tutors David and Jessica. The Wellbeing Art
Workshops resume on 21st April & run every Tuesday.
To sign up please contact Phayza on 020 7227 0647.
Abbey BookWorms
To coincide with World Book Night on 23rd April
we will be launching our brand new book club!
Abbey Bookworms meetings will take place every
other Thursday from 2-4pm in the Wash House Café.
Bring your favourite
read, or pick up a free
book from our library.
For more info please
contact Natasha on
020 7227 0643.
Winter Festival Our fabulous Winter Fun Festival ,
launching SW Connects, took
place in February. Local military
Families and wider local families
Joined in the fun, enjoying a
variety of activities including
outdoor games, magic show with
Jonathon, free manicures courtesy
of London College of Beauty Therapy; singer Dee McAlinden, wellbeing treatments
from Abbey regular, Rima and a fantastic hot finger buffet! Local military personnel
from Wellington Barracks laid on some fun games and even brought prizes!
Abbey Grow and Eat Club
Now spring has arrived, we're excited to launch this fantastic gardening project
for all those who wish to get outside and learn some new skills. Learn to grow
healthy food from seed to harvest and then enjoy the fruits of your labour!
Thanks to some fantastic improvement works by CSR partners Laing O’Rourke,
our garden is now the perfect place to get planting, growing and to relax with
friends with lighting, accessible raised beds and water supply. Session days and
times will be confirmed soon so watch this space! In the meantime if you’re
interested please contact Natasha on 020 7227 0646 or email [email protected]
“I really enjoyed bringing my ideas to life by painting
them” - Participant
Local residents Jackie Wilkinson and Richard Walters are
confirmed as new trustees, bringing skills & experience of
finance & policy to the Board.
Membership of the Abbey Centre is FREE!!! Join us and enjoy being part of your local community.
Dates for your diary…
7th May (10:30am-12noon) Flower Pressing Workshop
13th May (2:30-5pm) Tea Dance for older people
15th June (12-5pm) Picnic in the Park
July (Date & times TBC) Coach trip to Legoland Windsor
To view a full list of our current activities please visit our website
www.theabbeycentre.org.uk or pick up a copy of our latest activity leaflet
For more information please contact: [email protected]
Abbey Homeless Welfare Service We continue to provide 70-100 free meals each week to vulnerably
housed men & women. We’re delighted to see service users secure
accommodation after periods on the street, including a 70 year old.
We also see people return to enjoy the social support once housed
& to volunteer with us. Big thanks to those who donate fresh food
every week & to the volunteers who help run the sessions.
Active Together—Abbey Housemates We have launched a new home-based service called Abbey
Housemates and are looking for volunteers to make friends
with older people, visit them in their homes & accompany
them to the Abbey Centre for social activities. If you would
be interested please contact Natasha on 020 7227 0643 or
email [email protected]
facebook.com/theabbeycentre
@theabbeycentre
Fresh ingredients transformed into healthy, nutritious meals every week!
Ullswater Community College Concert
We enjoyed a concert held by the Ullswater Community College
Music Department on 18th February. The students were truly
professional and delivered a range of tunes from a Michael
Jackson medley to Stars Wars, Coldplay & Adele as well as some
original compositions. Everyone in attendance inspired by the
performance & shared tea and biscuits afterwards. Many thanks
to Alison Moore-Pullen for organizing the event.
Windsor Castle Trip 52 members of all backgrounds &
ages enjoyed a trip to Windsor
Castle funded by Lottery Awards
for All. Adults & children toured
the State Apartments & St.
George's Chapel as well as basking
in the sunshine in the grounds. A
further trip to Legoland Windsor is
planned for later in the Summer.
Your Votes Needed!
We’ve applied for funding from the Aviva
Community Fund to run activities within the
Well Family Programme. To secure funds
we need your votes between 1st-30th May.
A link will be circulated on 30th April. If you
need assistance please sign up at reception.
