Barons Court Project
“Our work is about loving people who may not love themselves and who don't always feel loved.”
Barons Court Project manages Hammersmith’s only day centre for people who are sleeping rough and/or experiencing mental ill-health. Director Michael Angus shares, “We focus on three areas: ‘Body’, ‘Mind’ and ‘Spirit’. Body comprises all the services that we offer to cater to our guests’ physical needs, such as showers, meals, laundry, podiatry, dental work, haircuts and so on.
“Mind is about one-to-one support for people who may not have the capacity to do everything by themselves. That might include filling out benefit forms and housing applications, writing a CV, searching for jobs and getting started with volunteering.
“Spirit is about the things that enable people to live life in all its fullness – art, football, 10-pin bowling, and trips to museums, the theatre and Brighton, for instance. Enabling people to have a fuller life is particularly important for rough sleepers, because if you’re a male rough sleeper, your life expectancy is just 43.
“We also have a women’s support group, where women can get peer support and check in with each other. If someone has had a bad week, there’ll be people to say, “Did you try this?” or “What are you looking forward to for the coming week?” Just being part of a supportive community can really help people’s mental health.
“Many of our guests live with mental ill-health. Some have been coming here for many years and have been in and out of psychiatric wards. As an example, we had one lady in her 70s who said she wanted us to come to her funeral and for me to sing Jerusalem. When she died, I couldn’t make the funeral date, but her daughter said, ‘This project was such an important part of my mum’s life and recovery and wellness. We will move the funeral so that you can come.’”
“Our work is about loving people, often people who don’t love themselves and who don’t feel loved. It’s about trying to lift people’s spirits and show them that there’s hope, that things can improve. If they relapse, we’ll pick them up and carry on the next day.”
Mental Health Awareness Week
Michael feels that Mental Health Awareness Week plays an important role in acknowledging that “we’re all human and not every day is a good day.”
He says, “We’ve come a long way in terms of being more open about mental ill-health and understanding that it’s normal and nothing to be ashamed of. Years ago, people lived with the whole stiff upper lip, pull yourself together attitude, which is so damaging.
“We need to take care of each other. It’s not about wrapping people up in cotton wool, but about accepting that we’re all different and that we all express ourselves in different ways. We shouldn’t be fearful of mental ill-health or the people who are experiencing it.
“Our guests are some of the most beautiful, talented, extraordinary, wonderful people that I’ve ever had the privilege to meet. And it’s a joy to spend time with them.”
Hammersmith United Charities’ support
Barons Court Project has recently received a £10,000 grant from Hammersmith United Charities. It’s using the money to help pay for a project worker.
Project workers greet guests at the day centre, provide one-to-one and group support, and offer advice and assistance on accommodation, benefits, employment, volunteering and other services.
HomeLess Made
Barons Court Project sells greetings cards and gifts featuring artwork by some of its guests. The money raised is split between the artist and the charity. Michael shares, “HomeLess Made started as a lockdown project. When I first suggested it to our guests, they said ‘Our art isn’t good enough. We are not good enough.’ The project has helped to show them that their art is good enough, and that they are good enough and they deserve this. We’ve seen the artists increase in confidence, self-esteem and dignity.”
One of the artists is Guan. Around 15 years ago, Guan was managing a shop in Oxford Street, but he was made redundant when the shop closed. His father then passed away in Malaysia, and Guan couldn’t afford the airfare to go to the funeral. Michael shares, “He wasn’t able to grieve properly and had a lot of shame and guilt at not being there to support his mum and his siblings. That led to him having a massive mental-health breakdown and becoming homeless.
“Guan was placed in Crisis House. While there, someone gave him some paint and paper and brushes. He’d never painted before in his life. When he started, his work was very angry – dark brown and black and grey. But each day, he went to the park. When spring came, he saw the trees starting to come back to life, and he said to himself, ‘If these trees can come back from the dead, why can’t I?’ That was his inspiration to use colour. And so, he painted a rainbow tree as a symbol of hope and new beginnings, which we made into a card.
“We’ve since sold lots of Guan’s cards, which has earned him thousands of pounds. He’s now got a stable home and recently spent two months in Malaysia reconnecting with his mum and siblings.”
Get involved
Do you have a skill you could share with others? Whether you’re an artist, a whizz at knitting or just enjoy singing, woodwork, pottery, cookery or another activity, Barons Court Project would love to hear from you.
Michael explains, “We’ve had volunteers in to teach drumming, yoga, creative writing, drama and all different things. If you have time to help us run activities, then we’ll be able to offer even more opportunities to our guests.”
Email services@baronscourtproject.org to find out more.
You can also donate to Barons Court Project through its website and support the charity and its guests by buying your greetings cards through HomeLess Made.
Watch our video on Barons Court Project
Watch Guan talking about his artwork
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