Garage Sundays, good vibes and a bit of fundraising
Music brings people together. And nowhere was this more evident than at a daytime rave – organised by Chloe K – on a Sunday 10th August, where dancers, DJs and donors got together to help fundraise for Brandon Centre.
Bringing high-energy sets to the Lock Inn in Camden, a lineup of local DJs, MCs and live performance artists played the best UK garage sounds. From old school to recent mixes, the atmosphere was electric and drew a buzzing crowd with good vibes, drinks and nonstop music.
Chloe K, Kentish Town’s own DJ, put the whole fundraising event on for us and also performed a curated garage set. Known for her unique blends of classic house music with garage rhythms, Chloe K always gets the dance floor jumping. And that Sunday was no exception!
The event was a huge success, we raised £200 with 100% of tickets proceeds going directly to our cause. But it was also a chance to bring people together, and show how powerful community and music can be when combined.
Voices Unlocked at Linklaters
On the 26th June, we visited the global law firm, Linklaters, to share our findings from our latest project, Voices Unlocked.
www.linklaters.com
But before we tell you about that, let’s rewind a little bit…
Earlier this year, we were funded by Linklaters to listen to the voices of young people from diverse backgrounds, so that we can better understand their experiences in accessing mental health services.
In order to do this, we set about three focus groups with ten local young ambassadors who had previously used our services. Coming from a range of diverse backgrounds, we spoke to young people who were Asian, Asian Chinese, Mixed White and Asian, Latin American, and Asian Bangladeshi.
We wanted to get their opinions on mental health as a whole, hear of their experiences accessing services and if they faced any barriers, and also what they thought about Brandon Centre.
We discovered that stigma and negative perceptions around mental health in these young people’s communities act as a major barrier to accessing mental health services.
Often dismissed by their families, mental health was described as a “weakness”, something to be “ashamed” of, and not spoken about “freely” amongst communities – making it particularly difficult for these young people to seek the help that they might need.
We’re already working on increasing the awareness and diversity in the psychological workforce to combat this, and we’re starting to see that opinions are shifting. However, we’ve recognised that there’s a need to continue this work as well as strengthen our partnerships with other organisations so that we can help as many diverse young people as we can.
Despite this, those we spoke to said that their experience at Brandon Centre was overwhelmingly positive. They praised our flexibility and our non-judgmental, friendly staff as well as appreciating the length of therapy we provide in comparison to other services.
But the most important thing to us was that these young people reported long-term, positive impacts on their mental health through accessing our services.
With this knowledge, we shared our findings to Linklaters at their offices, and alongside our young ambassadors we opened up the floor to questions – helping to guide others to our services as well as answering queries from the project. While we were there, Linklaters also kindly ran a careers panel for our young ambassadors, hearing the amazing stories and voices of, Yewande Akeju, Avani Agarwal and Lizzie Harker-Noor, to understand the different inspiring careers and pathways Linklaters.
It was a truly insightful experience, and we learnt and took away a lot. But if we had to pick one quote that highlights what we do best…
“I just always felt very listened to, very welcome. It felt like a very safe space for me.”
What an energising afternoon!
Tania, our Head of Parenting Programmes had a fantastic time connecting with members of the local community in Camden including passionate parents and dedicated staff from local services #familyhub.
The event on Saturday 2nd August was all about building relationships, sharing ideas, and promoting Brandon Centre’s FREE parent support groups that provides vital support for families.
The energy, collaboration, and community spirit were truly inspiring. Councillor Eddie Hanson, Mayor of Camden was there too, but we missed the photo opportunity. Next time!
Cupcakes, affirmations and stress balls
Our sensory evening with the Deputy Mayor of London
It’s not everyday that you spend an evening with the Deputy Mayor of London, Joanne McCartney sharing cake, but our Islington girls did just that.
Since we’ve started the She is Supported (or SIS) project a year and a half ago, we’ve done lots of different things to empower and support 400 girl’s wellbeing in the local community.
Funded by the Mayor of London and in collaboration with Highbury Roundhouse, Mary’s Youth Club and Prospex, we’ve hosted qualified youth worker activities, personalised 121 mentoring, therapy sessions and even annual retreats, but this evening in July was particularly special.
With our other partners, we put together a sensory Girls Supergroup evening and invited 40 girls from the ages of 10 to 24 to decorate, ice and taste cupcakes, create their own squishy stress balls, paint art across their arms, and write down affirmations before sticking them to a tree.
For us, it was a chance to get together with the other organisations and work closely to provide a fun evening. And as we were joined by the Deputy Mayor of London, Islington Councillors and The Greater London Authority, we had the opportunity to highlight and showcase the important work that we do for our girls in an inspiring, supportive network.
It was a great evening, we got to show our work in action and our girls got a fun night hanging out together. And to make it that little bit better, we all shared pizza at the end!
BC at the Alma Street Fair
Every year, Alma Street transforms into a buzzing and vibrant fair where the local community comes together to listen to live music, eat tasty street food and meet others from around the area.
On the 21st June, we joined in on the fun and set up a stall so that we could connect with the local people, tell them a bit about ourselves and raise a little money.
A huge thank you to our team who volunteered on the day, and a special mention to local resident, Sami, who has lived in Kentish Town for 45 years and has been a big supporter of us over the years, who also helped out on the day.
We met so many new faces and friendly faces, catching up with those we’ve said hi to before and introducing ourselves to those who haven’t heard about us. It was a busy but productive day!
Getting to be out and about in Camden and showing our presence in the community was and is really valuable to us. We also raised an amazing £350 for our services by simply having the opportunity to speak to people.
We’re sure to be there next year, so if you’re going to be there please pop over and say hi!
Picnic in the Park
Our summer BC get-together was on Hampstead Heath this year, the perfect setting for a picnic.
Sitting underneath the cool shade of the trees (it was a really hot one) we spent a lot of time chatting and catching up. Some of us even braved the heat and played a game of garden badminton that we set up nearby.
And in true BC style, we all brought lots of snacks and treats to add to the blanket. Luca made loads of pasta salads (who knew there was so much variety), Ellie brought a salad that included ingredients that she grew in her garden (extremely impressive), and Emily made a lemon blueberry cake that disappeared in seconds (we’re lucky to have such a talented baker on the team).
We also had Clare, one of our therapists currently on maternity leave, join with her new little baby Jesse (so cute!) – as well as saying goodbye and good luck to Claudia and Steph who have just gone on their maternity leaves.
It was a nice day to simply reconnect, have a laugh and share some great food all together!
How The Practice Spotlight is shining the light…
We’re delighted to share that Brandon Centre’s Systemic Integrative Treatment (SIT) has been recognised in the London Children’s Services Spotlight! The Practice Spotlight shines light on the most innovative and impactful practice that is transforming the lives of children and families.
Our SIT programme is highlighted as an example of innovative practice that improves outcomes and delivers value for money for children with complex needs, including those at risk of entering high-cost placements.
SIT is a year-long intensive treatment, designed to keep young people safely at home by working systemically with the trusted adults and systems around them. It supports children experiencing persistent, moderate to severe behaviour challenges by engaging with families, carers, schools, and other services to create lasting, positive change.
- 88% of young people who had been placed in out-of-home care due to challenging behaviours successfully returned to their families.
- 87% of young people were in full-time education by the end of treatment, despite starting with significant educational disengagement or attendance challenges.
- 100% of young people engaged in SIT treatment had no further offences during SIT intervention.
- 84% of families reported their child remaining at home, attending school, and actively participating in education during a six-month post-closure follow-up
Read more here:
Please get in touch if you would like to find out more: familyservice@brandoncentre.org.uk
#practicespotlight
An invitation into our Away Day
We do things a bit differently at Brandon Centre, and our away days are no exception.
Held at our local community centre in Kentish Town (connecting us both to the area and our work), the wonderful Tracy and Adam from Tapestry hosted our team for the day.
With cups of coffee in hand, we started off strong with Daisy from the Young Camden Foundation giving context on the challenges the youth sector is facing in the borough today as well as all the great work that’s happening.
Her openness was the perfect introduction to invite us to share our stories, and explain to each other what it means to be a part of BC and the difference we’re making in the lives of young people and families in the community.
We got to understand our strengths and learn from one another as we brainstormed solutions to the challenges we might face in the future, as well as coming up with ideas on how to continue sharing our stories both within the wider team and externally.
And as the day progressed, our bond as a team deepened, realising that time together is really important. Something that we want to continue prioritising going forward.
This connection was encouraged by Adam, who held a space in the agenda to get more in touch with our bodies through gentle movement and breath work. A welcome break for our minds!
We also had a low stakes rock, paper, scissors championship throughout the day, with our intake manager, Matt winning. It was a nice reminder to have some fun sometimes, even amongst the seriousness.
Our away day was a chance to gather our thoughts and take a moment before creating a rich tapestry made up of the fibres from what we shared, what we learnt and what we taught each other.
Brandon Bulletin – Spring 2025
The latest edition of our newsletter is here, and it’s filled with the incredible energy, creativity and optimism we’ve cultivated over the past 6 months at Brandon Centre.
Despite the wider challenges on local, national and global levels, what has stood out to me most is the spirit of collaboration and the lasting impact we’ve had and continue to build together.
From cheering on our incredible Santa Runners before Christmas to watching in awe as Pete took on his Ice Challenge in February, I’ve been blown away by the resilience, determination and kindness of others in raising significant funds to help expand our services for young people.
These moments highlight the power of connection and the strength of our community, with running in particular, becoming a core theme that links nicely with our other initiatives of sustainability, connectivity and partnerships.
More than just an activity, running / walking at the right pace reconnects us with nature, encourages mindfulness and a sense of togetherness . Whether undertaken solo or as part of a team, it creates a shared sense of purpose and motivation to help us keep moving forwards, despite the challenges that may arise.
So, you might see that running pops up frequently throughout this issue – we’ve also secured our first London Marathon spots for 2026 which is very exciting – but this is just one of the many ways that we receive support from our staff, young ambassadors, trustees, volunteers, corporate sponsors, partners, funders and local communities.
In particular, Dr. Helen Montgomery, our dear friend and colleague who made a lasting impact on those who were fortunate enough to meet, work and be cared for by her. We open this issue by remembering Helen and the remarkable contributions she made during her time at Brandon Centre.
As I write this introduction and reflect on what we’ve achieved, I feel a strong sense of optimism, renewal and legacy.
Perhaps this stemmed from our recent strategic Board Away Day, in which we reinforced the importance of working together, sharing ideas and shaping a future that aligns with our mission so we can provide high quality services for our young people and families.
And also maybe it comes from the installation of our new double-glazed windows throughout the Centre, a significant transformation that not only enhanced our space but also is a tangible, sustainable investment in our future and for the community.
One thing is certain as we look ahead to Spring. This season will be filled with connection, collaboration and meaningful change. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or a new reader, thank you for being here, supporting us and being a part of our journey.
Happy reading!
Comic Relief, EastEnders and Brandon Centre….!!
We’re absolutely thrilled to have been part of the Comic Relief and EastEnders special 5-minute episode that aired during Comic Relief: Funny for Money on Friday night!
The episode powerfully captured the mental health struggles and situations that many of the young people we support face. You may have seen the character Andy speak about accessing therapy after becoming homeless in a hostel — a direct reference to the outreach therapy work we provide in two local Islington homeless hostels.
Even more special, our amazing therapist Aaron, who delivers this service, was interviewed by Davina McCall — highlighting not only the challenges young people experience but also the incredible impact of the work being done at Brandon Centre.
A huge thank you to Comic Relief and Eastenders for this amazing opportunity to showcase our work. We’re so proud to be part of something that’s bringing these important conversations into the spotlight.
If you missed it, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer! Skip to 1 hour 45 minutes to see Brandon Centre’s and Eastenders’ section.