Years of austerity, the pandemic and a hard-hitting cost-of-living crisis have left many people unable to cope financially. Crosslight Advice provides free debt, benefit and budgeting advice to people across London. Not surprisingly, the charity has seen an increase in demand in recent years, so is keen to recruit more volunteers. Stephan Wiedmer, Branch Manager […]
One in three people living in the community served by Hammersmith United Charities is Black, Asian or from another ethnic minority community. Despite this, Hammersmith United Charities has never had a conversation about race and our role in tackling racism. We started thinking more explicitly about racism earlier this year when the Black Lives Matter […]
February can be a sad month, fortitude tested by continuing winter, with summer still a long way off. Sad for me personally, because I have to stand down as a trustee of Hammersmith Unite Charities (HUC) after 12+ years and also because Oxfam […]
If you think you might be eligible, we'd be happy to give you a tour of our almshouses and share what it's like to live here.
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Helping children and parents to dance their way to fitness
Dance and music bring people together. They boost our mental and physical wellbeing, and they’re a lot of fun, whether you’re a child or an adult.
However, if you’re struggling to afford basic essentials like rent and food, then paying to attend a class is almost impossible.
That’s where WiggleWaggle World comes in.
The CIC was started by Keisha Morgan for low-income families in Hammersmith. She explains, “I was on maternity leave with my second daughter. I was taking her to early years music sessions, which were £15 to £20 for just one class, and thought, ‘What if you don’t have money, but you still want to do quality musical activities with your children? Where do you go?’
“So, I started running music and movement classes in children’s centres, nurseries and then primary schools. WiggleWaggle grew from there.”
The classes are inclusive and help to support gross motor, language and emotional skills, particularly for under-5s. They’ve proven very popular with children, parents and teachers alike, so Keisha is now delivering several classes a week, along with children’s parties and family-friendly community events. She shares, “It just lit a fire in me. There’s a real need for this, for the community, and I just want to take it as far as I can. Life is challenging for a lot of people, so if I can just spread a bit of togetherness, connection, joy and happiness for people in the community that I grew up in, then I want to do that. We’re having a great time!”
While Keisha’s main focus to begin with was young children, she soon realised that there was also a need amongst their parents:
“A lot of the parents want to exercise, but they don’t have anyone to look after their children, or they can’t afford to do things for themselves. Financial hardship shouldn’t be a barrier to stop people from exercising.”
Keisha started running free Zumba classes at Old Oak Community Centre, funded with the help of a grant that the centre secured from Hammersmith United Charities. When the funding came to an end, Keisha applied for a grant for WiggleWaggle. We were able to provide £2,530, which meant the Zumba classes could continue.
In many cases, the classes are the only organised activity that the women can do on a regular basis. The benefits extend far beyond the health impacts alone. As one participant shares, “Not only has it built up my fitness and stamina it has also built up my body confidence. With the cost of living as high as it is, I can’t afford gym memberships so this free class which is for the local community is brilliant. There are extra bonuses aside from the fitness too: you get to meet new people, make new friends, talk to neighbours you had never spoken to before (even after 20 [years] living on the same street!), laugh and have fun.”
Keisha adds, “Women say to me, ‘If I didn’t have this class, I don’t know what I’d do. This is my mental health support.’ The feedback I’ve had has been a real outpouring of love.”
As well as the Zumba classes, Keisha used her grant to throw two community parties, one of which was a Christmas party with food, drink, entertainment and a visit from Father Christmas.
Keisha has big ambitions for WiggleWaggle, including reaching more families in the borough. She’s already running a daytime class where women can bring their babies, and she plans to apply for more funding so that she can offer free childcare alongside the evening classes.
She adds, “I threw a party for the parents of WiggleWaggle children, which went down really well, because they never really have a night off. The opportunities are endless; we could have retreats; we could get a coach to the seaside and do WiggleWaggle on the beach…
“This is my community – I grew up here, I went to school here – so it’s really nice to connect with families and give something back.”
Take part in a WiggleWaggle class
You can find out more about WiggleWaggle on Instagram @keishawigglewaggle
Come and join our friendly, hard-working team!
Job Description
Job Title: Assistant Community Gardener
Accountable to: Head of Housing & Property
Direct reports: Community Gardner
Liaison with: Residents, contractors, volunteers, staff, and visitors
Salary: £28,000 PA (pro rata)
Location: The postholder will work across the Charity’s two almshouses, John Betts House and Sycamore House (housing for older people), both in Hammersmith
Hours of Work: 4 Days/30 Hours Per Week with occasional out of hours working
Job Purpose
Work jointly with the Community Gardener to ensure the Charity’s award-winning communal gardens are cared for and maintained to the highest standards. Use your skills, knowledge, and experience to ensure the gardens provide a warm and inviting space for residents and visitors throughout the year. Develop opportunities to involve residents in gardening activities to improve their health and wellbeing.
About us
Hammersmith United Charities was founded in 1618 and makes grants to community organisations helping local people address complex social issues such as poverty, inequality or mental ill health. We also have two almshouses in Hammersmith, for older members of our community. Over the years, our gardens have been developed to ensure they are not only beautiful, but creative spaces where our residents can get involved if they choose or simply relax and enjoy. The gardens are based on organic principles. They include plants that attract butterflies, bees and birds, and plants that are stimulating in colour, aroma and texture. Residents can tend to their own hanging baskets, pots and allotments and get involved in various gardening projects and workshops that are run to help and support residents in engaging with the gardens. Our gardens have won many awards at the London Garden Society competition, which are judged according to Royal Horticultural Society guidelines.
About you
This is an exciting opportunity for a hardworking, professional gardener to continue the fantastic achievements of previous gardeners alongside our Assistant Community Gardener. We are looking for someone who has a wealth of demonstratable knowledge and experience, with the relevant horticultural qualifications to support this. Widespread experience and expertise in a range of gardening disciplines/techniques is essential as well as an open mind to continuous development and learning new skills.
The successful applicant must be self-motivated with the ability to manage and motivate to achieve the highest standards. You will demonstrate a track record of leadership in managing and/or developing similar environments. We are looking for someone with imagination and flair, an understanding of community organisations who has good communication skills, a caring disposition who is empathetic, with an unrelenting capacity to encourage and support our residents.
5 years + experience in a similar role or position is desirable and a relevant horticultural qualification along with an eye for detail, the ability to take responsibility, act decisively and the ability to turn your hand to most tasks, is essential.
This is a physically demanding role, working outside all year round, in all weathers. The role involves carrying out tasks requiring high levels of manual dexterity, as well as physically demanding tasks, such as trimming hedges, shovelling, digging, mulching, lifting and carrying.
The successful applicant will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS Check.
We value and respect all the differences that make us who we are, including age, cultural background, disability and mental health, ethnicity and race, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and social background.
How to Apply
The closing date for all applications is at noon on Friday, 5th June 2026. Applications will not be accepted after this date and time.
Please email the completed application and your CV to lisa.dasilva@hamunitedcharities.com and use the subject line: Assistant Community Gardener. If you require support with completing this application form, or for an informal chat, please contact Victoria Cripps on 07909 203 924.
Reducing social isolation for people with dementia
Almost 1 million people are living with dementia in the UK and that figure is expected to rise considerably over the next few years. With statutory services stretched to their limit, it often falls on charities to provide support, particularly for those who live alone.
Here in Hammersmith & Fulham, The Creighton Centre offers a lifeline to 350 socially isolated older people, most of whom are on a low income. The average age of participants is 82 and around 40% have dementia. Fundraiser Stephen Womersley shares, “We found that, increasingly, more people were being referred to us with dementia – mild, moderate and severe. We realised that we needed extra resources for them so created a comprehensive programme of support, Circle of Care, which is delivered by volunteers and overseen by a specialist dementia coordinator.”
That programme of support includes:
Stephen says, “These are people who often fall through the gaps, so we bring together the various services they need, from an Admiral nurse to council support services, together under the umbrella of the Circle of Care programme. Our volunteers are trained to be able to recognise what services may be missing, what services need to be provided and what level of care that person needs.”
Loneliness and isolation increase the risk of developing dementia. On the other hand, conversations and group activities strengthen neural connections, so regular social interaction can actually slow down the rate that dementia progresses. In other words, when isolated older people are given the chance to regularly interact with others, it can significantly impact their life and help them to live independently for longer.
The Creighton Centre gives older people that chance to socialise, whether that’s during a home visit, a chair-based exercise class, or a stroll with a walking buddy.
We’ve provided the Creighton Centre with a grant of £8,000 to help fund its dementia work. Stephen says, “It’s only because of funders like Hammersmith United Charities that we’re able to do what we do. This year, they’re supporting our older people services in Hammersmith; previously, they supported our learning disability programme, so we’re very grateful.”
Like many charities, The Creighton Centre relies on volunteers to deliver its services. In total, it has around 120 volunteers supporting five different projects, and it’s currently recruiting people to act as specialist dementia and other volunteers.
If you’re interested in volunteering, there are a number of ways you can help, from visiting a housebound person once a week or providing a daily wellness check over the phone, to helping someone who’s recently been discharged from hospital to regain their independence. You’ll receive full training and ongoing support.
Visit https://www.creightoncentre.org/volunteer/ to find out more.
“When I get on a bicycle, I leave my dementia monster at home.”
One in three people will develop dementia, and yet it remains a much-misunderstood condition. People don’t like to talk about it, assume it’s something only older people get, and think it will be obvious if you meet someone who’s living with it.
In fact, people often live with relatively mild symptoms for several years. What’s more, 70,800 people in the UK who have dementia developed it before they turned 65.
Clare Morris is the founder of For Brian, a dementia-inclusive CIC. She shares, “People of all ages, all walks of life and all cultural backgrounds can get dementia. I worked for many years with people with rare forms of dementia, some of whom were teenagers. People think dementia is just about memory, but you can also have problems with balance, mobility, communication, and visual and/or auditory perception.
“The thing that lights up the brain the most is social interaction and laughter. At For Brian, we walk, we cycle, we have parties, we have coffee mornings. It’s a space away from worries; there’s no need to divulge a diagnosis or fill in a referral form and we don’t talk about dementia unless they bring it up. As one woman with Alzheimer’s says, ‘It’s nice not to talk about things sometimes, but it’s also nice to know you can if you want to.’”
For Brian’s activities are co-produced with service users, some of whom now take an active role as directors. Clare says, “These are seldom-heard voices. If you take the trouble to meet people where they are, ask what’s important to them and do something about that, it’s therapeutically very powerful. It helps them to feel more in control of something in their life.”
For Brian’s Positive Spin project brings people together to cycle, walk and socialise. Many of the attendees have dementia or another disability, such as cerebral palsy. People sometimes bring food to share and Clare is planning to organise picnics in the warmer months.
She explains, “We go to Bikeworks’ All Ability Cycling Hub, where there are different kinds of non-standard cycles to try or you can just walk around the park. We fund Cycle Connect, a four-person cycle taxi, to pick people up from their homes if they can’t walk there.
“One man was in a wheelchair and couldn’t stand, but we got him on a recumbent bike and he was cycling around independently. As one of our patrons says, ‘When I get on a bicycle, I leave my dementia monster at home.’
“Lots of people with dementia are very mobile, and they need to move around to help deal with the anxiety they’re feeling. The rest of life seems very strange, but there may be a familiarity about being on a cycle; it’s a procedural memory exercise, which can be a great tool for rehabilitation and wellbeing.
“At the same time, trying something a bit different is good for your brain and good for your body, and unless you keep moving, you stop being able to move.”
Rosewood Square is a sheltered housing scheme on the border between Old Oak and East Acton. For the last few months, Clare and her team have been working to transform the scheme’s outdoor space. Clare shares, “We’ve been growing wildflowers from seed, we’ve got a little micro pond, and we’ve just got a bird bath.
“The residents are really excited. Several of them have dementia. While they can’t do the heavy work, they’re involved in all of the decisions about what we do.”
For Brian initiated coffee mornings at Rosewood Square, where activities are planned and scheduled, including regular parties with the residents.
We provided For Brian with its first grant and have supported the CIC with more funding over the years, including £15,000 in our July 2025 grants round. Clare has put some of the money towards maintaining the garden at Rosewood Square and running the all-ability cycling group.
If you want to take part in Positive Spin or another of For Brian’s dementia-inclusive activities, visit www.forbrian.co, contact the CIC or turn up at Old Oak Family Hub on a Friday morning at 10am and introduce yourself.
