Like an oak tree, Well4ever is deeply rooted in the local community. We love and are nourished by the people, the local cafes, the riverside, the art, Putney in the glow of a moonlit night! This page is dedicated to shining a light on some of the inspiring, creative and humbling projects ongoing in our community.
We mention these charitable organisations here because the clinic or our patients have been involved in or worked with them in some capacity and Well4ever wishes to offer our continued support in whatever way we can, however small our contributions, as well as raise awareness and engagement around issues affecting our community.
Hopefully you can find all the information you need about the charities below, but please do not hesitate to contact us for more information and to get involved! As our favorite Chinese sage, Lao tzu, says, “a journey of one thousand miles begins with the first step”.
Visit their website here.
The Araliya Education Foundation provides the youngest children of Pasarichenai in Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka and the surrounding communities with the highest possible quality of early childhood education, with the aim of inspiring life long learning. This visionary charity was founded in 2010, after years of supporting another school (Al Ishraq), following the 2004 tsunami.
Araliya is currently seeking funds to expand the existing pre-school and open another school in order to cater to the lack of education provision in the Arugam Bay area.
Breast Cancer Care works on areas of health, social and economic policy that affect people with breast cancer. Every 10 minutes someone hears the devastating news that they have breast cancer. They’ll probably feel frightened and confused – and their family and friends might need help too.
Breast Cancer Care is just a phone call or mouse click away for anyone affected by breast cancer. Our free Helpline and information-packed website offer a friendly ear and expert guidance to anyone dealing with the turmoil of this life-threatening illness. We also offer support across the UK with a range of opportunities to meet others in a similar situation, helping people every step of the way.
Our services are free and widely available thanks to the generosity of people like you. By taking part in an event and raising money, you can help to ensure that we are there whenever people need our expert help.
Over half a million people in the UK are now living with breast cancer and this figure is expected to double by 2030. The good news is that earlier diagnosis, better research and more effective clinical treatments, mean that survival rates are improving. But that also means that more people are living with the disease and its effects longer.
Everyone who is affected by breast cancer needs some additional support to get them through it. You may have recently been diagnosed, or completed your treatment, or you may be a relative or close friend of someone who has breast cancer. Whatever your situation, The Haven is here to help you.
Our support and care is free. Our free service offers a wide range of emotional, physical and practical support which includes over 40 complementary therapies, counselling, nutritional advice, exercise classes, financial advice and support groups. We also run a range of courses and seminars. Everyone is welcome at any of our centres and there is no need for a referral.
Knitting Concerts take place on Sunday nights at All Saints Church on Putney Common, from 7pm to 8pm and encourage an informal environment where you can knit, draw, write e-mails and bring your children. The concerts are always free – as is the wine – and everyone is welcome. Each concert collects retiring donations for a nominated charity: these have included the big disasters like the tsunami and the Haiti earthquake, and some of the major charities like Amnesty and Shelter, but also smaller more personal charities where several hundred pounds will make a significant difference.
You can find out when the next one is here.
Friends of Putney High School
Congratulations to Sara and Jackie for raising over £60,000 at the 2016 Star Ball
St. Mary’s Church of England Primary School
Visit their website here.
For many people affected by cancer, Macmillan nurses are a valued and trusted source of expert information, advice and support – free of charge.
All Macmillan nurses are registered nurses with at least five years’ experience, including two or more years in cancer or palliative care. They complete specialist courses in managing pain and other symptoms, and in psychological support.
Macmillan nurses are usually employed by the NHS and their posts are funded by Macmillan for a set time, often for the first three years. After that time, the long-term funding is taken up by the NHS or other partner organisations.
Maggie’s provides free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends, following the ideas about cancer care originally laid out by Maggie Keswick Jencks.
Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, Maggie’s Centres are places with professional staff on hand to offer the support people need. Our Centres are places to find practical advice about benefits and eating well; places where qualified experts provide emotional support; places to meet other people; places where you can simply sit quietly with a cup of tea.
Visit their website here.
Putney Artists’ Open House is an annual event giving you the opportunity to visit local artists in their homes, studios, workshops, sheds and gardens and buy directly from them. Entry is free.
Well4ever is delighted to know some of these incredibly talented artists and is is privileged to have some local Putney art up on our clinic walls. 2015’s Open House saw over 60 artists displaying and selling their work at over 30 locations around Putney.
Putney Artists Open House is part of a borough wide event run by the Arts team at Wandsworth Council. In total over 100 venues are participating. For more info go to wandsworthart.com.
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. We provide, on call, a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service around the UK and Ireland, and a seasonal lifeguard service. With our lifeboats, lifeguards, safety advice and flood rescue, we are committed to saving lives.
Visit their website here.
Visit their website here.
SOAS Detainee Support, or SDS, is a student-led initiative working in solidarity with migrants in and outside detention centres. SDS aims to reduce isolation through visits to empower detainees and campaign to put an end to the use of immigration detention. The group offers emotional and logistical support to asylum seekers and other migrants detained in immigration detention centres where accessing legal representation and other rights, including appropriate medical care, can be extremely difficult.
SDS is primarily funded by biannual benefit concerts, to fund the costs of travel to and from immigration detention centres and to support the part-time visiting coordinator. Donations therefore make a huge difference to the initiative and are extremely welcome, however small. SDS also accepts donations of soap, shampoo, skin lotion, sim cards and old (working) mobile phones, which it passes on to detainees.
Dharamsala photograph by Marianna Riddle under Creative Commons CC by 3.0