An end-of-year reflection on our community activities in 2025
- CHT Comms Team
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Relationships are central to our clinical approach at CHT, and one of the most enjoyable ways these relationships are built is through shared days out and activities that bring people together.
Throughout 2025, residents and staff organised a whole range of different activities and excursions. Some were opportunities to try something new, or learn a new skill, like taking part in a glass fusing workshop in Eastbourne, a trip to Bubble Planet (pictured), holding a craft and bake sale at a community market in Croydon, or participating in Mental Health Awareness Week activities.
Other activities were organised around things that feel a bit more familiar or are located a bit closer to home, like heading out for a group meal, hosting a summer BBQ or organising a Halloween-themed party.
Alongside these local community events, residents and staff across all of our communities get together to organise an organisational-wide activity each year. They create opportunities for connections between all of our communities and are always a highlight of the year!
Previously, we have visited London Zoo to meet animals and enjoy an ice cream, enjoyed a walk in Kew Gardens, taking in all the colourful plants and flowers, and this year, we headed to Gravity Max in Wandsworth, where we took part in a variety of interactive, virtual-reality games such as e-karting, plus a picnic in a nearby park complete with 'real-life' games including rounders.
From our experience, there are several key ingredients that help make activities such as these meaningful and successful:
It’s codeveloped from the planning stage. It’s so important that staff and residents share ideas on where to go, what to do, and what might be possible. At CHT, ideas are shared and discussed at community meetings or psychosocial groups, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard, all suggestions are considered, and everyone’s accessibility requirements are considered.
Everyone can get involved. Working together to put plans into action means that everyone can have a role, no matter where they are on their recovery journey. Roles may include booking tickets, organising travel, designing posters, taking minutes, or preparing food for a picnic. Understanding how these roles interconnect reinforces that each contribution is equally important to making the event a success.
Food can bring people together. We’ve found that incorporating the sharing of food into activities – especially in our organisation-wide trips - can encourage conversation, strengthen bonds and build a sense of belonging.
There's room for reflection. Along the way and after the event, we make space for reflection. This allows residents and staff to share feedback, think about what worked well, and consider how the experience supports our clinical model and individual recovery journeys.
There are so many therapeutic benefits to organising trips like these. They create a safe space for our residents to develop and build on skills such as pushing through when things feel challenging, managing social anxiety, working as part of a team and navigating interactions with other people.
They also bring a lot of joy.
For some residents, they offer opportunities they may have missed out on earlier in life, such as having a picnic or spending time outside their local area. Residents tell us that the activities they’ve helped to plan and participate in are lots of fun, help them feel connected to others and step outside their comfort zone in a way that feels supportive.
As we reflect on 2025, we’d also like to thank our funders and supporters, especially the William Allen Young Charitable Trust, for helping to make these activities possible.
