Following the success in February, we ran the Mental Health workshops at Islington’s primary schools again, to mark the Mental Health Awareness Week.

My experience of the difference that mental health services made to my life inspired me to give some of my time to try to help ensure that others that are facing similar circumstances can access support.

BIG Alliance attended VAI’s Wellbeing for All event shining a spotlight on the work that has been carried out to support local residents’ mental wellbeing

Together we can end the stigma of mental health.

Our thanks go to the 26 volunteers from Expedia Group, MUFG, Slaughter and May, Euromonitor International, Fooditude and Bolt Burdon for supporting our Time to Talk campaign in Islington schools. For this video we asked the volunteers: "what tips do you have to help people stay mentally healthy?"

As Covid-19 started to impact everyone’s daily life, the importance of supporting staff came into focus even more sharply and our internal wellbeing committee has been there to support colleagues as they have faced new and unexpected challenges

Earlier this year Islington Giving commissioned a group of artists with special educational needs, working with Artbox London, to create art inspired by their experience of living in Islington. These pieces are now being auctioned online and, after the artist’s fee, the proceeds will be divided between Islington Giving working on local poverty and inequality and Artbox London, working with artists with special needs.

From the 23rd of November until the 18th of December, ELBA and BIG Alliance will be collecting, sorting, and distributing what we hope will be an expected 10,000 toys to support children and families in need. Find out how you can get involved.

65 volunteers have now supported our Time to Talk programme since 2018. In this article we detail our 2019 programme which saw 30 volunteers visit 8 schools, delivering to 32 classes and over 800 pupils.