Principle Activities Tea & Connect welcomes refugees, people seeking asylum, and migrants looking for support and companionship. It provides free Core English Language Classes and Community Sessions - online, daytime, and evening Signposting and Mentoring Programme - Projects, Opportunities and Progress POP Monthly Saturday Tea Parties - quizzes, social crafting inspired by the circular economy Tea and Connect has benefited the community in the following ways It has provided English Core Classes and Community Sessions that are easily accessible and suitable for people who cannot attend college courses for a range of reasons - work commitments, parenting and caring responsibilities, health issues including mobility issues. We have 65 registered clients. It has developed its signposting and mentoring programme which has supported clients to access other services and charities. This has enabled clients to get advice particularly with housing and work issues. Our mentoring programme has enabled clients to engage more fully in the community, 2 clients have started volunteering on a weekly basis at charity shops, others have benefited from our support in looking for work/ suitable childcare/ courses and other activities i.e. wellbeing activities. Our community connector volunteers have a strong understanding of the needs of our clients and their work has proved pivotal in the work Tea & Connect has done Our monthly Saturday tea parties in Southwark have been a great way for clients to meet up in person, and introduce friends. We have worked with our clients and volunteers to provide tea parties that are enjoyable and relaxed. We have volunteers with lived experience who have really helped create an inclusive atmosphere. At our tea parties our social crafting workshops based on the circular economy, led by our artist volunteer have proved a relaxed and entertaining way for clients to discuss issues and make items such as glass jars decorated with leaves to take away with them. L Tea and Connect has 2 full time staff, 4 volunteers, enabling us to support 45 clients. We have developed a partnership with a local charity that provides us with a free space for our tea parties. In addition we have started developing partnerships with colleges, social workers, local pharmacists and cafes to increase awareness of our role in the community.

Tea & Connects stakeholders are clients who do not speak English as a first language. Other stakeholders include organisations and charities relevant to improving the lives of our clients including Southwark Community and our volunteers many with lived experience. Our clients register with Tea & Connect before they begin lessons with us, this is the first stage of learning what their situations and needs are. Our online community sessions are an ideal opportunity for clients to share ideas and make suggestions which we use to develop our services. In addition our core lessons are planned with feedback opportunities in them. At our tea parties and meetups in Southwark, clients give verbal feedback as well as completing regular feedback forms which enable us to build on our knowledge of what is wanted and needed from us. Our Tea & Connect community has strong ties with Southwark where we are registered. From research we know the following - the London Borough of Southwark, approximately 53,700 residents (roughly 19% of the borough's population) do not speak English as their first, or main, language. Out of this group, 10,200 residents report not being able to speak English well or having no English proficiency at all. With this in mind we do outreach in Southwark and encourage clients to tell their friends, families, colleagues and acquaintances about us. We have regular ‘Find out more’ Zoom sessions online, clients can distribute joining details for these sessions by passing on the link using WhatsApp.

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration