At Islington Giving, we believe in sharing decision-making power with residents who reflect and represent our diverse community. That’s why our intergenerational Community Panel – a diverse group of 13 local residents aged 18 to 80+, came together to make funding decisions. The panel sought to fund projects which:

• provide access to a range of services at a single location
• provide a local/hyper-local presence
• provide up-to-date and accessible information about other services available locally, with effective referral and signposting
• provide hope and a spark

This round was highly competitive, with 56 applications and just 8 grants awarded. Thank you to everyone who took the time to apply and congratulations to all the funded projects. Here’s a closer look at the awarded grants:

Claremont Project: Helping older people shine in Islington: Building connections and community

This three-year project will ensure that older people in Islington, particularly those who are socially isolated, receive holistic support and access Claremont’s services in a welcoming, inclusive and personal way. Activities include classes in dance, art and music, seasonal celebrations, social events, and low-cost psychotherapy. Alongside this, Claremont offers personalised support to those facing additional barriers such as financial insecurity, poor housing or health problems.

“From the first day someone joins, we take time to understand their needs, interests and aspirations… Through this integrated, relational approach, Claremont provides older people in Islington with community, connection and hope.” (Claremont Project)

Cook for Good: Wellbeing Café

The Wellbeing Café will provide trauma-informed mental health support for residents facing significant challenges. Led by a clinical psychologist, the café will give participants tools to manage wellbeing and encourage peer support to reduce isolation. Cook for Good will recruit and train six peer-support workers from the local community, ensuring delivery is rooted in lived experience and collective strengths. The year-long programme will provide 18 sessions across three terms, and reach at least 60 unique beneficiaries.

“Through food, friendship, and opportunity, the Wellbeing Cafe will help residents see a light at the end of the tunnel – whether through learning new skills, building relationships, or simply feeling seen. This project will create joy, belonging, and the belief that change is possible.” (Cook for Good)

Highbury Roundhouse:  Supporting young people aged 10-19 with life’s transitions

Highbury Roundhouse is expanding its youth provision to help more young people in Islington navigate key life transitions. Over 48 weeks, experienced youth workers will run an Open Access Youth Club each Wednesday, offering activities, mentoring, advice and a hot meal, alongside weekly Tuesday workshops that help Year 6 pupils move confidently into secondary school and support older young people stepping into sixth form or college. With on-site mental health support through their partner, Brandon Centre and targeted outreach across estates, playgrounds, schools and parks, the project aims to reach young people who may not usually access youth services and give them the confidence, resilience and connection they need to thrive.

“We are a long-established community anchor with over 50 years of history serving Islington residents aged O to 100 years old. With some of our families being the fourth generation to use our services, reflecting the trust and deep roots we have built.” (Highbury Roundhouse)

Highbury Vale Blackstock Trust: Open Door Satellite Hubs

Open Door Satellite Hubs will be run across three estate-based community spaces — all free, fully accessible, and supported by bilingual volunteers. The hubs will rotate between Stephens Ink Community Hall on the Tannington Terrace Estate (N5), Hind House on the Harvist Estate (N7), one of Islington’s most densely populated (540 homes, 1,080 residents) and disadvantaged estates, and Birchmore Hall on Highbury Quadrant (N5), home to over 1,100 residents. Residents will be able to access a nutritious community meal, information/advice, local signposting and referrals, wellbeing and learning, with social activities and digital inclusion services. The team will also identify residents interested in learning community organising practices to become Community Connectors, and run their own projects/activities at EH or at one of the Open Door Hubs, anchoring residents more strongly to their community and building sustainability beyond the grant period.

“A unique part of this project will be the development of Community Connectors, by identifying residents with energy and ideas who want to support their neighbours and delivering mentored support in community organising practices.” (Highbury Vale Blackstock Trust)

Hillside Clubhouse: Recovery Project

The project aims to support young men (aged 18-25) in Islington struggling with mental health, to build trust, reduce stigma, offering consistent engagement, creative work, skills development, employment advice and one to one and group support. Increasing the hours of one part-time recovery team member by an additional day will add capacity to better reach and support younger people (particularly men) and add value to the work already taking place. Through accessible communication and signposting they will ensure these younger residents are connected to the help they need, when they need it. The grant will also enable Hillside to extend their employment support services to younger residents.

“At Hillside we believe that people and communities coming together is the only way to challenge the stigma attached to mental ill health and to achieve change.” (Hillside Clubhouse)

Islington Somali Community (ISC): ISC Connect

ISC Connect will support 75 isolated older Somali men and women in Islington, including 35 who will attend weekly, to overcome loneliness, poor mental health and barriers to local services. Every Tuesday afternoon, the project will host a four-hour hub session offering food, social activities, health-awareness sessions, one-to-one befriending from trained volunteer advocates and access to advice and wellbeing support. Designed and led by Somali residents, the programme will recruit eight local volunteers as health advocates to offer companionship. To remove barriers, ISC Connect will provide transport support and accessible information, while also delivering befriending across the borough and reaching those most isolated through mosques and word of mouth to reach those who are most isolated.

“Because ISC combines trusted local presence, community leadership and cultural sensitivity we are well-placed to deliver ISC Connect in a way that builds access, reduces isolation, and tackles mental health challenges among older Somali residents in Islington.” (Islington Somali Community)

Memory Gardens Hand and Sky Journeys with PMLD Infants and Friends

With relationships at the heart of the sessions, this is a space for infants with PMLD (motor, communication and medical conditions), along with their  parents, family, carers, and a mentor young adult volunteer. Based in Hornsey Road Children’s Centre, these sessions they will go on physical and imaginative journeys through music, story-telling, movement, sound-making and therapeutic touch. With soft lighting, cushions, colourful fabrics, instruments and sensory objects, each session becomes a shared journey supported by a practitioner trained in Shiatsu, Sherborne Developmental Movement and child development. The programme also supports carers to deepen their awareness of non-verbal communication and shared experience.

“Together we will find a way to hold the space so that everyone can feel at ease and begin to relax in each other’s company. We would like to establish a practice which we all value and which brings out individual qualities which we can all share and benefit from.” (Memory Gardens)

MRS Independent Living

The weekly Digital Drop-in at Mildmay Community Centre offers people over 50 a lively, welcoming space to access devices, the internet and 1:1 support from staff and volunteers –  all free of charge. Over time, the Drop-in has become a vital hub, tackling digital exclusion while reducing social isolation for some of the most marginalised members of our community. The average age of attendees is 72, and around two-thirds are from Black and global majority communities, many facing additional barriers such as language, literacy or learning difficulties. The grant would enable further integrated support to meet a range of interconnected needs by funding their floating advice worker to attend the Drop-in, giving participants easy access to advice, advocacy and practical support including help with: housing issues; debts and bills; access to benefits and other financial support, as well as signposting/referrals into other local and specialist services.

“Fifty-Plus Digital is needed to tackle the digital and social exclusion that many older people face, which widens health inequalities, increases isolation, and disempowers them. With more than 20 years’ experience supporting over 3,000 digital excluded older people, our staff and volunteers understand the barriers older people face and are skilled in tailoring support to meet their needs.” (MRS Independent Living)