Vauxhall & Kennington: Community Groups, Charities etc.

Vauxhall, Kennington & the Oval

Community Groups, Charities etc.

This page contains information about:

groups working on behalf of their local communities, and
charities and other bodies offering support to individuals.

Please contact Martin Stanley by email if you would like to update or add to the information listed on this page.

Community Organisations

The Kennington, Oval and Vauxhall Forum is a non-political umbrella group bringing together local community organisations, businesses and residents. They hold public meetings for everyone in the community about proposals for our area and enable our member organisations to act together for the benefit of the community. They also act as a bridge between the local community and local public authorities, providing the Council, health services, police and others with an opportunity to engage, listen and involve local residents etc.
The Vauxhall Society is the civic consultative group covering the parliamentary constituency of Vauxhall, which extends from Waterloo through to Brixton, Clapham, Stockwell and Vauxhall. All members receive the society's online newsletter and are invited to public meetings addressed by guest speakers on topics of local interest. The society's principal aims are:
- to offer planning, transport and other authorities an indispensable consultation route;
- to alert fellow-citizens, and associations of citizens, who live or work in the area to developments that will affect their lives, and for which they will be expected to pay;
- to offer citizens a chance to have their say, as well as to play a part in protecting or improving the way they and their neighbours live;
- to stimulate public interest in and care for the character, history and future of the area, and to maintain and improve the quality of life for all who live or work here; and
- to monitor and comment upon planning proposals in order to protect the natural and built environment, and its living community.
The Friends of Kennington Park, The Friends of Vauxhall Park, and The Friends of Lambeth Walk Open Space are energetic groups who hold events on, and have done much to improve, their respective parks and open land.
The Kennington Association is a another lively group which:
- promotes the interests of the residents of Kennington
- acts as an advocate in matters of public policy and planning
- campaigns in order to maintain and improve economic development and public service, and
- fosters a sense of community within the Kennington area.

Charities & Similar Organisations

It is good to help charities based in and around where we live - and some of them might help you, too, when you need support. The following charities etc. are based around the Vauxhall/Kennington area.

Trinity Hospice, by Clapham Common, provides care at home and in the hospice for those dying from cancer and other diseases. The hospice helps 1,500 patients a year to live life to the full, for whatever time is left – no matter how long or how short. The hospice depends heavily on voluntary contributions so please do give what you can to support their excellent work.

Thames Reach Bondway looks after vulnerable homeless people. Originally based in a building in Bondway - in the middle of Vauxhall Cross - the charity now occupies Graham House just outside the Vauxhall Cross circulatory system. Clients have a range of issues including challenging behaviour, alcohol misuse and physical/mental health issues. They are each allocated a keyworker who will provide support, including linking people back into services. Graham House has visiting services from local GPs, START (the local mental health team) and outreach from the DSS. The project can accept clients with dogs, couples and women. Graham House offers clients 3 cooked meals daily and art/poetry groups, surgery and TV/recreational lounges.

South Island Children's Workshop is open every Tuesday and Wednesday after school for art and craft activities. These include enameling, candle making, jewellery making, fabric printing, painting and ceramics. There are also outings and special events during the school holidays and fund-raising events such as jumble sales, fetes and a Christmas fair. The Workshop is situated in South Island Place SW8, off the Clapham Road, above the Mobile Library. It is open to all children between the ages of 5 and 14 years, every Tuesday and Wednesday during term times from 5-6pm and/or 6-7pm. There is a family workshop every alternate Monday (3.30-5pm) for younger children and parents or carers. There is a small charge for each session. Please phone 7582 4196 for more information.

The Lambeth Endowed Charities is an umbrella term for The Walcot Educational Foundation, The Walcot Non-Educational Charity and The Hayle’s Charity which collectively support a huge range of schools, community projects and individuals through the London Borough of Lambeth. They are based in Kennington and have a history dating from Edmund Walcott’s Will of 1667. Edmund Walcott was a prominent haberdasher who left seventeen acres of land in Lambeth in trust for the local poor.

Presentation is a Vauxhall-based social investment agency offering housing and other services to communitiies throughout London and the South-East. It in particular offers free "Get Connected" courses which teach basic computer skills to the unemployed.

The South East London Community Foundation (SELF) is an independent trust that has become a major local resource for communities in Lambeth and surrounding areas. It aims to support activity and enthusiasm; people who look for solutions rather than complaining; groups that work together for the benefit of South East London. Please do not hesitate to contact SELF if your group fits those descriptions, and needs financial support.

The Tommy's Campaign, based at St Thomas' Hospital, carries out world-class research, and provides education and information, aimed at reducing the heartache caused by premature birth, miscarriage, and stillbirth.

The lives of many important local families and individuals, including Sir Henry Doulton, are celebrated in the West Norwood Cemetery. The Friends of West Norwood Cemetery are well worth your support.