Mayor's Community Weekend 2025

Our Family Earthday2 was part of the Mayor's Community Weekend 2025 celebration and brought together local residents for a joyful day of unity, culture and wellbeing  Downham, Catford SE6.

Our amazing Volunteers were at the heart of the event  from setting up our community space with vibrant decorations, stalls and preparing delicious ital soup and food, to hosting the healing massage sessions, setting up for drumming therapy, dj’ing roots music and workshop presentation and conversation that reflected the vibrant African-Caribbean heritage of the Downham area, never heard before!   Their energy transformed the day into a true community festival of Love, Kindness and belonging.

Our "Family Earthday 2" attracted many new families, older residents and local partners who had never visited before, strengthening local connections and inspiring several new volunteer sign-ups. It also opened doors to new collaborations with health, housing and environmental groups keen to work with us on ongoing wellbeing projects around green skills, Solar panel installations,  food skills kitchen,  cooking & growing food in small spaces and community health and resilience.

RMUK Wellbeing CIC continue to grow through partnership, compassion, love and kindness with a high servicing of Dignity and belonging!

www.rmukwellbeing.com

Fiery Community Fest transformed Portobello Green over the Mayor’s Community Weekend, bringing together over a hundred local people for a day centred on wellbeing, connection and community pride. Even in the rain, the energy was powerful. 

The event drew many first-time participants, including residents who shared that they rarely attend local activities, families seeking free and healthy experiences, and individuals who had been feeling disconnected. Several attendees asked how they could keep engaging with us, and new partners have since approached us to co-design further community wellbeing initiatives. The fest strengthened our network and created meaningful relationships that continue to grow.

Our volunteers were essential, creating a welcoming and supportive environment, guiding activities, and ensuring that every participant felt seen, held and included. Their presence shaped the day and allowed us to reach people who often stand at the edges of community life.

Fiery Hearts CIC is a community interest company based in West London. We provide accessible wellbeing experiences for people who face barriers to connection, including those living in social isolation, carers, families, and individuals on low incomes. Our work focuses on movement, mindfulness, creativity, and community events that build confidence, resilience, and belonging.

https://fieryhearts.com

For the Mayor’s Community Weekend 2025, Paracarnival brought residents of the Flower & Dean Estate & members of the Attlee Youth & Community Centre together for a joyful, intergenerational street celebration filled with art, performance, shared food, and creative activities. Volunteers played an essential role throughout the weekend, from setting up spaces, welcoming families, serving food, and supporting children and participants with disabilities to take part fully in the festivities.

The event attracted a new mix of local families, elders, Bangladeshi and Caribbean residents, Somali youths and disabled adults who do not usually meet. Many told us it was the first time they had socialised with neighbours in years. We also made new contacts with local organisations who are now partnering with us on future community projects.

Paracarnival CIC is a community arts organisation based in East London. We create inclusive, inter-ability Carnival and well-being projects for disabled people, young people, and vulnerable residents. We work across Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and Newham, running workshops in dance, costume-making, painting, and accessible creative activities that bring communities together.

Taking part in Mayor’s Community Weekend strengthened our local relationships, greatly increased our volunteer base, and helped us reach residents who would not otherwise engage in arts or community activities.

www.paracarnival.com

 Our Mayor's Community Weekend Community Welcome & Celebration brought together young people, families, neighbours and supporters in Bloomsbury for an evening of music, food and cultural activities. The Eritrean/Ethiopian coffee ceremony filled the venue with the smell of freshly roasted beans and frankincense, creating a warm, familiar atmosphere. Thanks to our volunteers and staff, the space felt welcoming. Volunteers supported set-up, served food, translated and guided activities, ensuring everyone felt included.

aThe event drew a diverse group, including local residents attending for the first time, partners from nearby organisations and volunteers eager to stay involved. It also opened the door to new connections, including a potential collaboration with the renowned conductor Jonathan Berman, who is exploring creative opportunities with our young people.

DilDil CIC is a community organisation in Bloomsbury supporting unaccompanied refugees from Eritrea and Ethiopia. We run London’s first trauma-informed swimming sessions for unaccompanied minors, alongside weekly football, wellbeing workshops, mentoring and cultural activities. The evening ended with the lighting of a Chibo, a symbol of hope and new beginnings, followed by dancing around the fire.

We are deeply grateful to the Mayor of London and the National Lottery Community Fund whose support made this celebration possible and helped us bring the community together in such a meaningful way.

https://dildil.org

Over 40 people turned up to plant wildflowers on our mound - from keen gardeners to small children getting properly muddy with their first trowel. The volunteers made it happen, shifting barrows of compost up the slope and carefully planting hundreds of wildflower plugs that'll bring pollinators next summer.

What surprised us was how many locals had never visited the Green before. Several neighbours wandered over asking "what's going on?" and ended up staying to help. We've gained new regulars who now come to our monthly sessions, plus new families on our mailing list. Having the Mayor's Community Weekend backing definitely helped - people seemed more willing to join in.

The Alexandra Millennium Green is a small green space in Surbiton that residents saved from development back in 2000. We're entirely volunteer-run, looking after woodland paths, a reed bed, a Miyawaki forest, and the amphitheatre-style open area where local community events have been held. The MCW2025 grant also funded two handmade benches, crafted by volunteers from railway sleepers.

The Mayor's Community Weekend day gave us new momentum. We've had bulb planting sessions and even received our first donations through the new website. After tough years, the community's reconnecting with the space.

www.alexandramillenniumgreen.org.uk

The Jewish Square Mile Foundation, based in the heart of the City of London, celebrates the medieval Jewish community that once lived around Cripplegate. With support from the Mayor of London and the National Lottery Community Fund,  and in partnership with St Giles Cripplegate, we held our Teddy Bears’ Picnic as part of the Mayor’s Community Weekend, a joyful family event that brought history to life through art activities, music and engagement. 

Children brought their teddy bears for a journey passing through ‘Teddy Bear Passport Control’ followed by a zip wire basket ride across the church all accompanied by Klezmer music. They also enjoyed healthy snacks while discovering our exhibition inside St Giles about London’s first Jewish community.

The event attracted visitors from across London as well as local families. It helped us reach new audiences, strengthen partnerships, and inspire fresh interest in London’s shared heritage.

We received excellent feedback and gained several new volunteers and contacts keen to support future events. The event showed how history, creativity, and family fun can connect people across communities and generations, helping children feel part of London’s rich and diverse story.

www.thejewishsquaremile.org