South London Listens: Be Well Case Study – St William of York (SWOY)
Told through the experience of Janet Emmanuel, Be Well Leader
Janet (left) with fellow Be Well leader Jojo (right) at Be Well Summer Celebration Event in 2025
About St William of York’s Be Well Journey
As a member of Citizens UK for over 15 years, our social justice group determined that the Be Well programme could be a meaningful way to nurture leaders equipped to serve and support our community.
We began with a Listening Campaign, grounded in relationship-building, to hear the hopes and concerns of our parishioners and to understand how these priorities were being lived and experienced.
Mental health and wellbeing emerged as the primary priority, closely connected to wider social challenges such as housing, migrant and racial justice, the living wage, and environmental issues.
With the support of the Be Well programme and the microgrant of £800, we trained 12 Be Well Champions who met regularly to identify, plan, and implement practical actions to support our community’s wellbeing. A core outcome of this work was empowering community members to determine the areas of focus most relevant to their needs, ensuring that initiatives were shaped by lived experience and local priorities.
What we delivered in 2025
Our events aimed to bring people together, reduce isolation, and create ways of opening up conversations about wellbeing:
Monthly Tea & Cake Drop-ins
Nature Walks with Afternoon Tea
Year 6 Transition Fun Day
Grief & Loss Talk
Christmas Cooking Event – Gnocchi Making
Year 6 Transition Day: A Parent’s Feedback
“Sending a huge heartfelt thanks to you and some of the current Year 7 children who gave up their time on Saturday to help run this wonderful workshop.
It really opened up conversation between my son and I about his fears (not many!) and excitement about starting secondary school.
The goody bags were so kind—the colouring pencils have already been put to good use!
It was great for the parents to gather and chat about our own fears too. Talking really helps!
SWOY is such a wonderful community… and it is people like you that make it all the more special.”
How Community Organising supported our work
Through Citizens UK we strengthened our approach to one‑to‑one conversations, helping us build deeper relationships and invite more people to participate in parish activities. Our connection with the wider Be Well network also keeps us aware of other communities’ priorities—such as housing and migrant justice—which tie directly into mental health.
Be Well Mental Health Training
South London Listens delivered two sessions of mental health training at SWOY, each with 12 people. It was inspiring to be with likeminded people from different backgrounds and experiences, all sharing the similar values and goals to support people in their community.
Feedback From Participants
“It has been great to be part of the wellbeing hub team and offer something positive to the community around us. It is rewarding and heart-warming to see the smiles and hear the feedback of people who have come to our projects.”
“Being a Be Well Champion has been a genuinely positive and fulfilling experience… I’m proud to be part of an initiative that makes such a meaningful difference.”
“The training was informative, practical and well‑organised. I gained valuable knowledge and skills that I have already been able to apply in my daily life.”
“The one-day Be Well Champions training was excellent—engaging, relevant, and very well delivered. Debbie made everyone feel welcome and able to contribute.”
“It has been brilliant to be part of the team for the first year of the Be Well hub at St William of York… The events offer such positive, safe spaces for our community.”
“We have created a wonderful support group within the community for the community… with great attendance and very positive feedback.”
Key learning so far
Through this first phase as a Be Well Hub, a few important lessons have emerged:
Mental health challenges are often hidden—many people struggle quietly and may find it difficult to come forward.
A mix of gentle social activities (like nature walks) and more focused mental health sessions (such as the grief and loss talk) helps us reach people in different ways.
Clear communication and advance promotion of the range of activities are essential to maximise attendance.
We need enough trained leaders to safely and sustainably run events—avoiding burnout is important.
Ensuring that every activity is inclusive to include everyone in our community remains central to our planning.
What’s next for SWOY’s Be Well Hub
Looking ahead, we plan to:
Bring all leaders together for a planning and training day
Create a clear activity programme for the year
Promote Be Well more visibly on the SWOY website
Continue strengthening our approach to being trauma‑informed, culturally aware, and intentional about the language we use
Provide ongoing community organising training to embed a listening culture across the parish and take action internally and externally.
Continue to develop relationships with SLAM’s Integrated Therapy Team in Lewisham to develop and host a workshop on understanding and managing depression and anxiety
Build more relationships through regular one‑to‑one conversations
Develop a formal evaluation process for our activities
Partner with other local institutions to better support the wider community