As part of London Climate Action Week, we're celebrating One Community's work to connect people with nature and support local environmental action.

One Community is a social network that empowers people with mental health conditions to connect, build confidence and challenge stigma. Through a wide range of creative and social activities, including art, music, gardening, creative writing and peer-led conversations on topics like domestic abuse, suicide and self-harm, it has grown into a magical network where people form lasting friendships and a real sense of belonging. 

The brain child of Cate Latto, Founder, the work began at the acute mental health wards at St Charles Hospital, where patients and members of the community, family and friends came together, working with CNWL. The network operates across Kensington and Chelsea and neighbouring boroughs of Westminster, Brent and beyond, supported by the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation and CNWL NHS Health Charity, with growing partnerships across the NHS, local authorities and the voluntary sector.

New member, Bee, said:

“I enjoyed being part of such a beautiful community. I am a little bit shy and have bad memory of names, but the people here are wonderful. I feel so much more confident and am so happy to be introduced to this family. Thank you Cate for providing a safe space for people, you have a beautiful energy and its contagious”.

What makes One Community unique is its open-door approach. There are no referrals or eligibility criteria – people turn up and get involved.

Many people continue attending long after they leave hospital and some return as volunteers, using their own experiences to support others while continuing their own recovery journey. Members play an important role in shaping services at CNWL’s Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (now in its third year), helping people in crisis by sharing their lived experience and offering hope that recovery is possible. One of the One Community volunteers in the MHCAS, Magdalena, was recently recognised at CNWL’s Volunteer Awards, winning the Compassion in Action award.

One Community also hosts a monthly Respectful Relationships Forum in partnership with CNWL's Domestic Abuse Prevention Coordinator. The forum provides a supportive space for people to talk about what respectful relationships look like. The group also plays an important role in raising awareness and promoting the work of our Domestic Abuse Prevention Ambassadors (DAPAs). Together, they regularly deliver awareness sessions and training across teams.

Alongside this, One Community is also helping people connect with nature and take action on climate and environmental issues. Through partnerships with organisations including the RSPB, idverde and Natural England, members are getting involved in citizen science projects that contribute to environmental research and weekly wildlife surveys are now open to all members.

A standout example is the One Community Shannon Ward sensory garden at St Charles Hospital. Designed by the network and opened in 2022 with support from the Mayor of London's Grow Back Greener Fund, the garden provides a calm, therapeutic space where patients can connect with nature while learning about plants, pollinators and biodiversity.

This work continues to grow. From the sensory garden and award-winning St Charles allotment to the recently planted community forest garden in Kensington Memorial Park, it’s grown into much more than just a green space.

It's a place where patients, volunteers and staff come together to plant and spend time outdoors, building confidence, learning new skills and making connections along the way. Some have even taken part in horticultural training through the One Community network. 

One Community is incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of RBKC's Community Gardeners and Ecology team, who have helped the network create and nurture these spaces for many years. Together, they have built welcoming gardens that support both people and nature, won awards along the way, and become part of the borough's Bee Superhighway, helping pollinators thrive across all our sites. Their partnership continues to play a vital role in helping these spaces flourish.

One Community is also celebrating a double success after being shortlisted in two categories at this year’s HSJ Patient Safety Awards; Mental Health Safety Improvement and Harnessing a Human Factors Approach to Improve Patient Safety.