The coronavirus pandemic has taken a heavy toll on all of us, but it has been especially hard on the residents at SHP’s Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health accommodation. Activities and opportunities have stopped, and support services have shuttered, leaving many of those who live here with little by the way of stimulation and structure. It was obvious to myself, and the rest of the team, that we needed to do something to shift the atmosphere – to re-enliven the communal space and, in so doing, begin the long process of (re)creating an environment that would foster both individual and collective well-being. The August bank holiday weekend provided us with the perfect opportunity for this.

In years gone by, many of our residents have attended Notting Hill Carnival, which ordinarily take place within walking distance of all three of our hostels. However, with the official festivities cancelled, myself and my colleague Beverley found ourselves discussing what we could do to fill the void. In the course of our conversation, we discovered that both of us had, independently, been thinking of running a Caribbean themed food event around the bank holiday weekend. Putting our ideas and energy together, we hit on a plan to bring the sensory splendour of Carnival to Perham Road.

On Monday 31st of August, we transformed the entire bottom floor of the hostel into our own miniature Notting Hill. In the kitchen, Beverly cooked up a delicious Caribbean feast of jerk chicken, mac pie, plantain and rice and peas.

Meanwhile, residents took charge of mixing non-alcoholic cocktails, including our very own take on a mojito (made using lemonade, apple juice, lime and fresh mint).

In the garden, we set up a painting area, where residents were supported to paint the flags of different Caribbean countries. Here is one of our residents, Isaac, who chose to paint a miniature version of the flag of Uganda, the country in which he was born.

In the living room, we set up our own mini sound system, blasting out the best in reggae, dancehall, dub and soca.

Some members of the staff team were even spotted dancing (in a responsible, socially distanced manner, of course)…..

Space is at a premium at our Hammersmith and Fulham service, but the success of this event really showed how much is (still) possible with just a little thought and energy.