Self Care Directory

Online Peer Support: Elefriends
Elefriends is a supportive online community where you can be yourself. We all know what it’s like to struggle sometimes, but now there’s a safe place to listen, share and be heard
Where they Work: Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham
Open Age
We provide over 350 weekly activities from more than 60 sites, including the New Horizons Centre in Chelsea, the Second Half Centre in North Kensington the Avenues Centre in North Westminster and the St Margaret's Hub in South Westminster, as well as community centres, sheltered housing, church halls and libraries across the boroughs we work in.

Activities cover everything from health and fitness classes such as dance, yoga, chair exercise and walking groups to creative and performing arts sessions and weekly groups with speakers. We also have daily computer classes and drop-in sessions at our Open Age computer suites, as well as from other venues.

An outings group arranges regular visits to attractions in and around London.

There are facilitated telephone groups for those who are housebound and unable to leave their homes. ‘Time For Me’ provides activities and trips out for unpaid carers. Link-Up staff work on a one-to-one basis and help people who are isolated attend our activities, breaking down the barriers that are preventing them leaving their homes.
Open Age is a charity that provides over 250 diverse weekly activities for older Londoners (50+), specifically working in Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham and Westminster. Open Age’s programme has three broad categories – Arts, Culture & Social; Learning & Skills, and Physical Activities. To ensure that everyone is able to access our services, Open Age runs special groups for the housebound, while our dedicated Link Up team reaches out to people who have become isolated and lack the confidence to attend classes or events alone.

Each session acts as an entry-point into a supportive and resilient community of 4,500 members aged 50 to 104, and FUN is at the centre of Open Age’s philosophy. Membership is free!
Where they Work: Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham
Open Age Activities for over 50's
Over 380 weekly activities for those over 50 across 70 venues including several Open Age centres open throughout the day . Creative and performing arts , IT , physical activities , dance , social groups , trips and much much more . Also facilitated groups over the phone for those who cannot get out.
Where they Work:
Open Age Be Active Programme
Be Active matches volunteers one-to-one with a 60+ adult to support their rehabilitation exercises at home and in the community for up to 9 sessions.* Be Active aims to enable a person to increase their independence and connection to their community.

Volunteers support and motivate an older person based in Westminster or Kensington & Chelsea to follow their prescribed exercise plan and, through a series of these sessions, help build their confidence. This will empower them to go on to regular activity and getting about within their community. Open Age, with its partners, provides training, as well as support from project coordinators and peers throughout the programme. Volunteers do not need any qualifications and can live anywhere within easy travelling distance of Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea – you just need to be enthusiastic, committed, and have an empathetic approach and a desire to empower older people.

You can apply to volunteer with Be Active by completing the volunteer application here - https://www.openage.org.uk/volunteer-open-age

* Participants are referred to Be Active through a care service provider such as the Community Independence Service of the Central and Northwest London NHS Foundation Trust.

Please do contact us if you have any questions about the Be Active programme
Where they Work: Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster
Open Age Healthy Lungs
Healthy Lungs is an exercise class designed for people with long-term breathing conditions or difficulties. The classes are designed to help improve endurance and strength. This type of exercise will improve lung function and muscle strength, which will make going about your daily activities just that little bit easier.

Delivered face to face and online for residents aged 50+.
Where they Work: Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster
Open Age LinkUP & LinkUP Tech Service
Open Age runs over 250 activities a week (Face to face and online) for anyone aged over 50 including, gentle seated exercise, boxing, Tai Chi, yoga (including women only classes), meditation, dance, group walking, walking football, singing, International cooking, Steady & Stable, Pilates, Board games, Drama & Theatre activities, Phone groups, Art and creative classes, philosophy/discussion groups, Language groups, Table Tennis, Social groups, Technology classes, Trips around London and much more. Working with people who are isolated or at risk of isolation. The service will conduct home visits and work with people on a one-to-one basis identifying areas/activities of interest and barriers to accessing activities and work with the person to reduce/remove these barriers. This can include accompanying people to Open Age activities to build their confidence to attend alone. Onward referrals will also be made to other services. ‘LinkUP Tech support’ – provides support with technology on a 1 to 1 basis or as a group.
Transport can be provided for those who are unable to use public transport through Westway CT’s volunteer car-scheme. Various locations
**Referrals can be made via SystmOne MCMW** or directly to provider (outside of MCMW) via this link https://www.openage.org.uk/referral-form-download
Where they Work: Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster
Open Age Lip Reading Classes
Learning activity for the hearing impaired aimed at helping them to manage their hearing loss and consequent diminishing confidence and ability to socialise and function normally within a hearing-orientated society.
Where they Work: Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham
Open Age MEALs (Meet, Eat and Learn)
A twice-weekly subsidised lunch group (members pay £4.50 towards the cost of the lunch). The lunch is prepared off-site by a local restaurant and delivered to two Open Age venues. Once a month the group have lunch in a local restaurant. Transport is provided for those who are unable to get to the sites on public transport. It is an opportunity for people to socialise and receive a low cost healthy two course meal.
Where they Work: Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham
Open Age Men's Activities
Men's activities (known as Men’s Space) offering exercise classes, football, reminiscence, social groups, games, trips, lunches and gardening.
**Referrals made via SystmOne MCMW** or directly to provider.
Where they Work: Queen's Park & Paddington, Kensington & Chelsea
Open Age Phone Groups
Open Age runs weekly phone groups for people who are less able to leave the home. Topical hour with travel and arts themes, quizzes, social groups and reading groups are held over the phone and free of charge to participants. All people referred can be visited at home by the phone group coordinator to set them up.
Where they Work: Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster