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“I do believe that life is too short“

With a singing career which took him all the way to Elvis's studio, Sycamore House's resident quiz-master Del has performing in his blood - and is determined to make the most of every moment.

I was born in Fulham off Wandsworth Bridge Road, in Hammersmith Hospital. I was bought up with my grandparents and my mother and I lived with them, along with my aunt and uncle. When I was eight, we moved to Roehampton. I didn’t know what a bath was until I went there. Mine was a tin bath and I was always the last one in it.  

My grandfather would take me to a musical theatre show every Friday night and I used to see people like The Crazy Gang and Norman Wisdom. My mum would take me to shows at the London Palladium. So I did the same with my kids: we used to take them to Leicester Square and get half-price tickets.  

One Saturday night I went to a show and a lady was sitting on the stage singing ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’. It made the hair on the back on my neck stand up. I found out afterwards that it was Judy Garland.  

How did you get involved in performing? 

 My genre of music was a mixture of Engelbert, Elvis and Tony Christie, Tom Jones and Sinatra. It started when I was growing up. My friend’s dad was an entertainment secretary in a club in Roehampton. We used to go there on a Saturday night, and they would call people up to sing. I was around 18 years old. They would say “Del, come up! Can you sing this for us?”.  

I became the entertainment secretary at the Shepherd’s Bush Club, formerly known as the Goldhawk Social Club, where I currently organise their live music. I book the live music at Sycamore House as well, for residents’ birthdays or entertainment nights.   

I have performed in Tunisia, Portugal and Spain. My friend, a drummer, who I’ve known since I was 11 years old and I went to America and I recorded music in Sun Studio where Elvis recorded. It’s still the same: the instruments are there, and we went into the booth and recorded ‘My Way’, Elvis style. You can’t just sing some songs, you have to perform them. Somebody writes those lyrics, and it means a lot to them. My job as a singer is to bring that out. 

One of the best things I did was go to Monte Gordo in Portugal. I had time off from work and at the same time I had lost my youngest son. My wife said for me to go abroad as I found it difficult to stay at home.  

I found a random a bar and saw a guy playing the piano and I sat next to him. I said to him “Do you know this song?” and I sung it with him. Once I finished the manager of the bar said: “Can you come in tonight and perform?”. Nine years later I was going there a few times a year. I performed at bars, a casino and a country club. 

Tell us about your family. 

My son’s names are Steve, Scott and Simon. My youngest son was diagnosed at 9 with a brain tumour, and was with us for three years after his diagnosis. 

My middle son Scott used to take Simon to a place called ‘Phab Club’, which arranged for the children to go Buckingham Palace Mews to learn to ride a horse. It was run by Lady Joan Bader; she was the wife of Douglas Bader, an airline pilot who lost his legs during the war. The Queen would sometimes pop in and help with the riding lessons. 

Simon was a big Arsenal supporter. One of his physiotherapists was an Arsenal seasonal ticket holder and she spoke to the club to arrange if he could watch the player’s train. We went to the Highbury grounds, and we sat in the manager boxes. The team were fantastic with him and made him laugh when I showed them that I was wearing my Fulham football shirt. I have a photo of him on that day in my living room.  

We received a red and white football and letter from Arsenal Football Club. Fulham Football Club sent a black and white football and the Chairman of the club sent a Rolls Royce with a player on Simon’s funeral day.    

What’s it like living in sheltered housing? 

I have been here for around seven and half years now. It’s great having access to a garden right outside my living room. I originally came here for my wife’s benefit as she was in a wheelchair due to her health. We moved in here in the summer and I sadly lost her the following February. We only had a brief time living in Sycamore House together. My second son Scott and my granddaughter passed away last year.  

My eldest son lives in Belfast. I am only able to travel short distances, so I haven’t been able to see my family as much. But I have WhatsApp and we talk, share photos and videos with each other and my son always calls me on the weekend. 

The scheme manager at Sycamore House, Chris, has been fantastic. When Scott died, Chris checked up on me and made sure I was okay. He gave me the company when I needed it. 

They are lovely people here. The staff are great. The best thing is you have your privacy, but the company is there if you need it. I am the quiz master here every Thursday. The residents get together after our coffee morning, and we have a good laugh.  

 


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Know someone who’s over 60, on a low income and in need of a safe and affordable home?
Find out about our sheltered housing in Hammersmith with beautiful award-winning gardens.

Opening our doors to older people in need of a home

We're inviting older people on a low income who need an affordable home to tour our almshouses.

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HUC trustee Derek Williams

Introducing new trustee Derek Williams

Derek sits on our Finance and Investment Committee. He brings with him 30 years of experience in property, investment finance and business development.

HUC trustee Derek WilliamsCan you tell us about your background?

I’ve been a Hammersmith resident for a number of years. I grew up in a very diverse borough in North London, similar to Hammersmith. I started working as a chartered surveyor in my early 20s, then moved into strategy and analysis for 10 years for FTSE 100 companies. I wanted to gain a bit more global experience, so I applied for a role at an American company called Russell Investments. Long story short, I set up their European platform and team and, two promotions later, ended up in California, heading up their global real estate team. Having moved back to London, I now focus on helping to grow businesses. My current role is Managing Director of Investor Relations for The Valesco Group.

Why did you want to become a trustee for Hammersmith United Charities?

Hammersmith is home; it’s where my kids are being brought up. Living in America for a few years really made me appreciate London. It’s such a dynamic, exciting city, and I want to, albeit in a very small way, add value to it. I feel that my skills and experience in residential property, finance and investments can be of use to Hammersmith United Charities. I can also add value by picking up the phone and making introductions to help the charity build new relationships.

What do you do in your spare time?

I’ve got three kids and two rescue dogs. My wife Suzanne and I enjoy walking the dogs together. Our kids are aged 10 to 15, so they’re becoming more independent, but my son and I spent a couple of days playing golf together recently. It’s rare that happens, but it’s always nice to dust the golf clubs off. My second eldest child is at ballet school in Hammersmith full-time as she wants to be a professional dancer.

We’re a very active family. I used to play squash a lot, but my joints aren’t what they used to be! I do enjoy riding my Brompton folding bike though, which I mainly use for commuting from work in the West End back home to Hammersmith. It’s a really interesting borough; I enjoy living here.

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Children kayaking

Fulham Reach Boat Club: closing the ‘holiday gap’

Fulham Reach Boat Club’s vision is ‘Rowing for All’. One of the ways it fulfils its vision is by offering free watersports weeks during the summer holidays.

The summer holidays can be difficult for many families. According to Feed London, 400,000 children in London are facing holiday hunger. Families on a low income may also not be able to afford holiday clubs and other activities. When combined with a lack of green spaces and safe places to play, this means that some young people stay home for much of the holidays, leading to social isolation.

Charities are helping to close the ‘holiday gap’ in Hammersmith & Fulham by offering free or heavily subsidised activities and lunches. Several HUC grant-holders are involved, including DanceWest, Nourish Hub, HCGA and Fulham Reach Boat Club.

Julia Philipson, Fundraising Manager at Fulham Reach Boat Club, shares, “Whilst their better-off peers might be doing all sorts of fun things, those activities usually aren’t accessible to disadvantaged children. So, they suffer from summer learning loss. Some are also at risk of being pulled into crime, partly due to holiday hunger.”

The boat club runs free watersports weeks during the summer and Easter school holidays for children in Hammersmith & Fulham who receive the Pupil Premium.

Julia says, “Our charitable programmes are for people in our community who may not ordinarily be able to access blue spaces in London or indeed access any kind of physical activities outside of school. It’s not about finding the next Olympic champions like Helen Glover or Mohammed Sbihi, it’s about getting children out onto the water for their physical and mental health.”

Boy rowing at Fulham Reach Boat Club
Photographer: Justin Thomas

 

As well as rowing and other sports, the young people receive breakfast, a snack and a hot lunch prepared by Sam’s Riverside restaurant. They’re also taught water safety and basic first aid, and athletes often give talks on mindset, nutrition and other topics.

Along with the holiday clubs, the charity runs six-week programmes for disadvantaged children and teenagers from 11 secondary schools within Hammersmith & Fulham and three schools from neighbouring boroughs. The programmes are heavily subsidised, as the boat club fundraises to cover most of the costs.

Julia says, “Many of the children have multiple barriers to accessing watersports. They might have been told they’re no good at sport for example, but if you can’t catch, kick or throw a ball, you can still enjoy rowing. And maybe that will give you the confidence to try other activities. So, as well as benefiting children physically, it’s helping to change those negative self-perceptions.

Children taking part in Fulham Reach Boat Club's watersports

“One boy brought his family down and told them all about the club and what he’d learnt. He also came in recently to thank the junior coach for the opportunity and for helping him to see things differently.”

The boat club tries to be as accessible as possible. Many of the young people who take part in the clubs aren’t strong swimmers. Others have special educational needs or disabilities. Julia recalls one boy who had a visual impairment. “He came down for a morning to try it and ended up really enjoying the experience. He came numerous times over the summer holidays and is now a junior member. He’s a very good rower.”

Fulham Reach Boat Club provides a few bursaries each year for young people who’ve enjoyed the free clubs and who want to keep rowing. The bursaries cover all costs, including competition fees.

The boat club’s other target beneficiaries are prisoners. Julia explains, “One of our team members, Imogen Walsh, had a chance meeting with an ex-prisoner at another boat club, who shared their story of how they’d transformed their life through rowing. That inspired Imogen to set up our Boats Not Bars programme, which helps to rehabilitate prisoners through sport to reduce the risk of them reoffending. So many young people end up in prison after taking a wrong turn in life because they didn’t have the support that others take for granted. We want to give them a second chance.”

While the boat club pays for staff and rowing coaches, it also benefits from lots of volunteers, some of whom started rowing through the holiday clubs. Julia shares, “It’s lovely to see their journey of growth from their first time trying rowing, to developing their skills, to becoming ambassadors for the club and welcoming new people in. These kids are really inspirational, they just need the opportunity to show what they can do.”

Summer in the City

While the Fulham Reach Boat Club programme is fully booked for the summer, a wide range of other free children’s activities are available through Summer in the City. Activities include roller skating, boxing, yoga, drama, DJing and manga. A healthy meal is provided for each child.

Holiday hunger

If your family is affected by holiday hunger, you may be eligible for support from the Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank. The Nourish Hub is also running community lunches throughout the summer.

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Introducing new trustee Kevin Griffiths

Kevin is one of our newest trustees and brings with him 25 years’ experience of working in the housing sector.

Trustee Kevin GriffithsWhy did you want to become a trustee for Hammersmith United Charities?

I spent six years working in the borough and five years living here. It’s a very vibrant, fun place to live and work. Hammersmith is a real melting pot, with a huge spread of faiths and cultures.

However, there’s also a lot of deprivation here, and typical inner-city problems around homelessness and poor-quality accommodation, which is often right next to multi-million-pound properties. It’s hugely unfair. HUC helps to provide some balance and support for people who need it. I love what the charity does and admire the fact that they’ve been supporting the people of Hammersmith for 400 years.

What do you bring to the HUC board?

I’ve been working in construction for 25 years, mainly as a quantity surveyor. For the last 15 years, I’ve worked on social housing for Hammersmith & Fulham Council and other local councils. I’m currently General Manager at Fortem Solutions; I deliver repairs and maintenance frameworks for local authorities and registered providers.

I understand the issues the housing sector is facing, such as complying with the Building Safety Act. Compliance procedures are frequently being changed at the moment, which puts pressure on landlords and other housing providers. I feel my experience will be useful to HUC, providing the team with additional capacity and insights.

So you’re particularly interested in the almshouse side of HUC?

Yes. My first home as an adult was a former almshouse in Dunstable, near Luton. I lived there for almost five years. I hadn’t really appreciated what almshouses were before then or why they were so needed.

So, years later, when I heard about HUC, I looked into the charity and realised that it’s doing fabulous work, helping the people who most need support. Ultimately, I want people to have safe homes to live in.

What do you do in your spare time?

I’m studying for a Master’s, which takes up a lot of my time outside work. I also enjoy a round of golf and generally being outdoors when I get the chance. I did the Three Peaks challenge last year. However, I have two children, aged four and five, so most of my free time is spent with them. Family comes first.

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Graphic saying In May 2024 we awarded £99,285 to 12 organisations supporting our local community!

May 2024 Community Grants announced

£99,285 to 12 organisations!

Every year, Hammersmith United Charities provides £400,000 to local groups that are creating positive change in our area of benefit. Our most recent grant round in May 2024 saw grants awarded to 12 groups, ranging from £300 to £14,990 and totalling £99,285.

The organisations receiving funding include This New Ground CIC, who are using their grant to support people with learning disabilities to move towards employment. Participants will benefit from weekly art sessions, a peer-led singing group and individual mentoring.  

Other grant-holders include the Mother and Child Welfare Organisation, who are using their grant to expand health equity projects, and Hikayetna, who are planning to create a series of short Arabic videos to improve access to mental health services. 

This New Ground CIC  

£14,990 towards the cost of providing 12 months of art workshops, a singing group and mentoring for more than 40 people with a learning disability. 

Women Aid and Empowerment CIC 

£14,950 to fund low-intensity exercise classes, such as chair-based yoga, mainly for people from a global majority background and those on a low income. 

The Reanella Trust 

£14,000 to provide counselling, mentoring and group activities for 50 young people who have disabilities. Mother and Child Welfare Organisation 

£12,000 to expand health equity projects for 380 people in Shepherds Bush, Wormholt and White City, focusing on building people’s confidence. 

Western Ballers Ltd 

£10,000 to fund parenting workshops for 150 parents and carers, many of whom are refugees or immigrants. 

Our Lady of Fatima Church 

£8,700 to support its food hub and activities such as chair-based exercise classes and sewing groups for up to 500 local people. Doorstep Library 

£6,000 to support the costs of up to 10 volunteer readers and to buy 40 children’s books. 

Hikayetna 

£6,000 to fund short educational videos for Arabic speakers to help them access mental health support. 

The Bush Theatre 

£5,000 to fund drama workshops and free theatre tickets for children and young people. Nourish Hub 

£5,000 towards the cost of providing community meals for 1,500 people in Hammersmith and Fulham, including staff costs. 

Old Oak Resident Association 

£2,345 towards weekly Zumba classes, a coach trip and meals for people in College Park and Old Oak, many of whom are on a very low income. 

The Grove Neighbourhood Centre  

£300 to subsidise a coach trip to Brighton for 30 people in Hammersmith and Fulham.

How to apply for a HUC Community Grant 

We hold three grant rounds each year and are particularly keen to hear from smaller, local organisations with a strong connection to their community and a working knowledge of the local area. Your project can be a one-off or ongoing. What interests us most is the difference you’ll make to the local people most in need. 

Please complete our Eligibility Quiz before applying, and then contact us at  grants@hamunitedcharities.com to tell us about your project. We like to talk to applicants before you apply so that we can get a better understanding of what you’re doing and answer any questions you may have. 

Find out more 

 

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