Community Chest 2025/26
The Live Well Havering community chest funds local projects supporting health and wellbeing in Havering.
This year's process
We recieved £80,000 in funding from NHS North East London ICB’s Health Inequalities Fund to support local projects run by small and medium-sized charities in Havering.
Local groups could bid for up to £5,000 to run a community project in Havering that met the criteria.
The response was incredible, we recieved bids worth over £400,000 for a budget of just £80,000 budget. The quality of the bids was outstanding and while we funded as many as we could, there were some fantastic projects we simply couldn’t support because the funds weren’t enough.
How local people chose which projects to fund
The Live Well Havering team reviewed every bid to make sure projects were safe and that each organisation was qualified to deliver what they proposed.
Once that step was complete, all eligible projects went to a Community Panel made up of 3–4 local residents. They scored each project, and those scores helped guide the final funding decisions.
We’re excited to share the projects that have been successful this year!
Check back on this page for updates throughout the year and find out how you can get involved.
Our funded projects for 2025/26
Paint for Wellbeing
Painting course for women experiencing mental health challenges.
Romford Shakespeare Theatre
Contributions towards their annual Shakespeare performance to keep ticket prices affordable for residents.
From Me to You - The Art of Survival
Rise & Shine morning breakfast club for people with experience of cancer.
The Crooked Smile
Body image and empowerment programme for girls.
Havering Volunteer Centre
Funding to increase capacity of their Check in & Chat telephone befriending service that currently has a waiting list.
HBBS Counselling
Specialist counselling for bereaved children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Authoring our own stories
Artist-led workshops for global majority young women to co-curate works of art and an exhibition about their lived experiences.
Rush Green Amateurs
Free boxing programme for children and young people.
Collier Row Skills Share
Social group where residents teach one another arts, crafts and skills.
Well Social CIC
Art sessions for care experienced families.
Rainham Royals
Cultural supper clubs where local people share their cultural dishes with their community.
True You Today
Support for women and non-binary people who have experienced gender-based abuse.
HoPEC
Outings for isolated members of the community.
Romford Deaf Club
Support to continue running the only Havering Deaf Club and pay for BSL interpreters.
Harold Wood Foundation
Men's mental health and wellbeing programme.
Sycamore Trust & St Albans Baby & Toddler CIC
Toddler group for autistic toddlers and their parent carers.
HASWA
Free chair yoga sessions.
Havering BME Forum
Elders' wellbeing group and friendship cafe.
The Habbit Factory
Inclusive theatre programme for young people.
Kaleidoscope
Window stickers showing LGBTQ+ friendly locations across the borough. 5 free social sessions for LGBTQ+ people 25+.
Rainham Foodbank
In-person befriending for residents of all ages.
Lumiere Cinemas
Improvements to the accessibility of their film screenings for disabled customers.
ADDUP
February half-term activities for children and young people with ADHD.
The Proper Blokes Club
Walk & talk groups for men in Harold Hill and Rainham.
Ukrainian Supper Club
Social gathering for Ukrainian migrants and refugees to connect, share their food and culture.
The Church of the Good Shepherd
Contribution towards their sensory room.
The impact of this year's projects
Stay tuned for updates on the impact of this year's projects and to see how many residents we support this year.
