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The Kulan Foundation had a humble start as a space where young people could get extra help with their homework, but over the last eight years, it’s grown into a vital community asset. Today, it offers a range of services for people who are from a global majority background.

Most service users are on a very low income and they’re often experiencing significant hardship. The foundation’s manager, Ismail Said, shares, “They have low wages but high rent. The electric cost now is high. The gas is high. A weekly shop that used to cost £90 is now £180. Costs are doubling, but income is not going up. Many people are also supporting family back home.”

Quality education

Education is one of the best tools a person has to lift themselves out of poverty. However, many children need extra support that their parents just can’t give them. As Ismail explains, “The parents can’t help the children because they don’t have the English or don’t have the education.”

To ensure that children get the support they need, the Kulan Foundation runs after-school clubs in core subjects, including maths, English and science. The centre has seen young people gain top marks in exams and graduate from university in subjects such as law, medicine, midwifery and accountancy. Some graduates then return to the centre to give talks, which, as Ismail shares, “means that young people can see people who are the same as them, with the same language, who are successful.”

As well as giving talks, many of the young people choose to ‘pay it forward’ by volunteering in their community. Some coach the foundation’s football teams; others teach English or work with children at the youth club. Ismail says, “What we see now is that our young people are making more connections with the community, and becoming good examples for other young people.”

Adult development

Many of the adults who turn to the Kulan Foundation are not fluent in English, which makes it extremely difficult for them to find work. The foundation runs programmes to help service users become more confident in English, maths and digital skills, and to learn how to write a CV, apply for jobs and generally prepare for employment. Adults are also brought together to form social connections and enjoy leisure activities.

Mental health support

Ismail is seeing more young people, particularly girls, who have mental health issues, some of whom are refusing to go to school or don’t even want to leave the house.

As well as supporting the young people directly, the Kulan Foundation educates parents about mental health, including how to increase wellbeing, signs to watch for, how to talk to children about mental health and what to do if someone is struggling.

Hammersmith United Charities’ grant

The foundation is receiving a £10,000 grant from Hammersmith United Charities, which it’s putting towards delivering a homework club for disadvantaged children and teenagers.

Ismail says, “Hammersmith United Charities has supported us from the beginning. I think they were our first funder. They’ve made us strong and sustainable.”

Get involved

The Kulan Foundation is based in the basement of 108 Goldhawk Road, London, W12 8HD. You can find out more about the charity on its website: www.kulanfoundation.com. If you’d like to join one of its classes, email admin@kulanfoundation.com or call  07539989970.

We’re appointing a new Trustee, who will also join our Grants and Community Committee. This is a unique opportunity to join an established charity that combines housing, grant-making and community leadership.

We’re particularly keen to hear from people with a strong connection to Hammersmith or lived experience of the challenges faced by our community. You do not need to have been a Trustee before as we’ll provide full training and support.

You’ll attend eight meetings a year, (typically 90 minutes each, starting at 5.30pm) and be welcomed at other events. While it’s a voluntary role, we will reimburse reasonable travel expenses.

Please download the Candidate Information Pack for full details. The closing date is 17 June 2026. If you’re unsure whether this role is right for you, we’re happy to have an informal discussion before you apply.

We believe in a Hammersmith where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered – a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Will you join us in making our vision a reality?

Life is difficult for many people in Hammersmith right now. It’s a challenge to afford the bare essentials. ‘Nice-to-haves’ are out of reach, even when they could make life easier in the long run. Charities are facing a similar issue. When core costs are high and teams are stretched, there’s little to no money available for marketing or communications.

At Hammersmith United Charities, we aim to do more than fund good work – we champion community organisations and raise awareness of the issues they’re tackling. With this in mind, we commissioned Media Trust and Constellation Films to create short videos highlighting the work of four of our grant holders: Sulgrave Youth Club, This New Ground, Barons Court Project and Nourish Hub.

You can watch the videos below.

We also funded Hikayetna to produce Arabic-language mental health videos, responding directly to local insight about the barriers faced by our Arabic-speaking communities when it comes to seeking mental health support.

The five organisations each came with their own priorities – reaching new beneficiaries, raising funds, attracting volunteers, changing attitudes – but collectively, these films go even further. They help to build a richer, more visible picture of the strength and diversity of Hammersmith. It’s a community we can, and should, be proud of, and one that deserves our support.

You can watch Hikayetna’s films here.

Film screening

On 17 March 2026, we gathered at Riverside Studios for a community screening to showcase the films, celebrate the work of the filmmakers, and bring local people together to spark new connections and open the door to future collaboration across Hammersmith.

If you would like to stay up to date with future events, please scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up to our newsletter.

The theme for this year’s National Gardening Week is ‘Share your passion for plants’. Whether you’re an avid gardener or just enjoy relaxing on a bench surrounded by colour and birdsong, most people enjoy being outside in spring. As our Community Gardener, Victoria Cripps (known as V), says, “As a Community Gardener, it is very important to me to advocate for gardening as a means of supporting wellbeing. I know, through my own daily experience, that being in nature and caring for plants and wildlife has a positive effect on my mental and physical health. Gardening is both physical exercise and a mindful, focused, creative activity.

“The residents here comment daily on the effect the garden has on their wellbeing – from particular plants evoking positive memories, to hearing birdsong and feeling joy, seeing colour and feeling uplifted, and experiencing the pride of new seedlings emerging! Those who actively garden also comment on how it supports them to stay active, as well as the enjoyment of focusing on a project and the sense of achievement in seeing a patch flourish.”

Indeed, many of our residents enjoy gardening. Some are life-long gardeners, while others have discovered their passion later in life.

One of our residents, Ken, says, “I had what you’d call a concrete garden before. I’d never done gardening in my life, apart from tomatoes and a bit of veg. I’d never grown flowers until I came to Sycamore.”

Ken moved here back in 2023 and soon started helping with the communal garden. Before long, he had his own trug outside the greenhouse and then took on one of the almshouse’s small plots of land. Along with bedding plants, Ken is now growing fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes, radishes, spring onions and rhubarb.

Rather than learning from books, Ken has learnt as he’s gone along: “The gardeners have been advising me on what to do and showing me little bits and pieces – when to put the seeds in and so on. I’ve been picking things up that way. One or two of the other residents have been helping me too.”

While his own plot keeps Ken pretty busy, he still enjoys helping with what he terms “the donkey work” in the communal garden, including painting and repairing our garden benches. He’s now in the process of making his own bench out of old car tires and pallet wood. Next on his list is repurposing more discarded tires into a decorative planter in the shape of a garden well.

His advice to anyone thinking of trying gardening is, “Just get on and do it!”

Gardening in later life

Ken has difficulties with his knees so has bought himself a low fold-up chair to use when he can’t kneel.

V has a few other tips for gardening in your 70, 80s and beyond…

• If you have mobility issues, the right tools can make gardening a lot easier. Look for lightweight ones that can be used standing up or from a chair, such as long-handled weed pullers. You can also buy easy grip handles, which attach to your existing tools and are really useful if you have painful or weak wrists.
• If you find it difficult to kneel or crouch, you might want to consider having some raised beds built or investing in a large trug or some pots. They’re much easier to maintain, as you can tend to them while standing or sitting in a chair. Do bear in mind that they’ll need watering more often though.
• Choose low-maintenance plants, such as shrubs that don’t need tying in or deadheading. Plant perennials and bulbs rather than annuals to make your life simpler next spring. Wallflowers, sedums and begonias are all great choices.
• You’ll enjoy your garden more if you feel safe in it. Make sure that paths are wide and even, with no raised slabs that might trip you up. Mobility aids, such as grab rails, can also help you to access your garden, especially if it’s on a different level to your home.
• Full watering cans are very heavy and hosepipes can be challenging to pull around. As our climate changes, we can expect more dry, hot spells throughout summer, so you may want to opt for drought-tolerant plants like lavenders, salvias and verbenas.
• If you love gardening but can’t manage a garden on your own, then volunteering on a shared plot might be the answer. Many of our almshouse residents enjoy working in our communal gardens. If you’re not a resident, you could volunteer with Hammersmith Community Gardens Association, which manages several gardens across the borough. You don’t need any gardening experience to volunteer as you’ll be supported by other volunteers and staff members.
• Having benches and seating in your garden means you can take regular breaks. Gardening, at any time of life, is about pacing. It’s much better to spend as long as you can comfortably on an achievable task, then refresh with a cup of tea before moving on, than trying to do it all at once!
• For times when it’s really difficult to get outdoors, due to challenging weather or mobility needs, looking after houseplants or arranging cut flowers means you can connect with nature indoors. There are houseplants for all ranges of ability, so you can start with something easy and move on to more challenging plants as you grow in confidence.