New community partnership to rebuild trust in health services
Five community organisations in south east London have been selected for a ground-breaking new partnership to rebuild trust in local health services and support residents to live well for longer.
Bexley Mencap, Juvenis (supporting Milk Honey Bees), Mama2Mama, QUEERCIRCLE, and Southwark Senior Social Association will each receive a total of £150,000 over three years to be part of the Trust and Health Creation Partnership – a collaboration between South East London Integrated Care System, King’s Health Partners, and the South East London Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Strategic Alliance.
There is currently a lack of trust in health services, with 38% of Britons avoiding routine GP appointments and 33% avoiding A&E visits. This sentiment is particularly strong among people from minoritised communities, who face some of the starkest health inequalities.
The Trust and Health Creation Partnership is rethinking how we prevent illness and create the right conditions for residents to live healthier lives. Each partner will design and test new ways of supporting people’s health, helping to rebuild trust and transform services to better meet the needs of our residents. This approach recognises that health isn’t just shaped by hospitals or GP surgeries – it begins in our homes, streets and communities.
Meet our partners:
Bexley Mencap
Bexley Mencap are a charity supporting people with learning disabilities, and the people who care about them. They are affiliated with the Royal Mencap Society but are independently run and focus their work and support entirely on people living locally.
Kara Lee, Chief Executive, said: “We’re very excited to join the partnership which will greatly improve health outcomes for local people with learning disabilities, who often face significantly worse health outcomes than the general population. We want to establish best practices for supporting people with learning disabilities, ensuring they are valued as equal partners in shaping meaningful change across the community.”
Juvenis – supporting Milk Honey Bees Community Interest Company
Juvenis is a grassroots organisation committed to empowering young people, with a focus on Black men and boys, to lead with confidence, creativity, and cultural pride. They will use their funding to support the Milk Honey Bees Community Interest Company, which provides a safe space for young Black women and girls to express creatively and equips them with social, employment and life skills to navigate in society.
Ebinehita Iyere, Founder of Milk Honey Bees, said: “Being selected and involved in this partnership is exciting for us as it will help highlight and address the needs of Black girls. Thank you to Juvenis for their support and we look forward to working closely with other local organisations and the community.”
Mama2Mama
Mama2Mama is a baby bank based in Woolwich that collects new and pre-loved items from the community for newborns to 3 year olds and gives them to families in need of support. They provide support services for infants and young families and work in partnership with parents to plan, monitor and evaluate support until they overcome the problems they face. This includes referrals for parenting programmes, targeted family support services, employability, advice and health services.
Zuzana Fratrikova, Chief Executive and Founder, said: “Mama2Mama is delighted to be selected as a partner. We’re excited about the opportunity to collaborate with others to strengthen the support available to the most vulnerable families in our community. Through our Baby Bank efforts, we hope to be a valuable partner in enhancing existing services and reaching even more families in need.”
QUEERCIRCLE
QUEERCIRCLE is a LGBTQ+ led charity working at the intersection of arts, health and social action. They’re a platform for championing LGBTQ+ artists, and a group of individuals and organisations committed to creating systemic change for LGBTQ+ people.
Frances Williams, Health and Research Lead, said: “We’re looking forward to being part of this innovative partnership. We hope it can help us to further explore the value of queer creative health, working with partners to address health inequalities using community knowledge and perspectives.”
Southwark Senior Social Association
Southwark Senior Social Association is a charity supporting older people who find it difficult to safely carry out everyday tasks at home. They provide social events and activities for older people who are socially isolated; prone to anxiety or depression; living with dementia; and/or facing reduced mobility.
Brenda Wade, Chief Executive and Founder, said: “We’re immensely proud to be part of this new partnership, which will support our ambitions to provide targeted support for Black African and Black African Caribbean communities in Southwark. These services are designed to address the specific needs of elders, young people and families, with a focus on promoting health, wellbeing, and social inclusion.”
Visit the South East London VCSE Strategic Alliance’s website to learn more about the Trust and Health Creation Partnership and follow the project as it develops.