We can’t believe it’s that time of year again, but preparations for the festive season are already underway at Share. We're running a festive market and you're invited! Join us and enjoy delicious homemade cookies and mince pies made in the Share kitchen. You can buy beautiful prints, Christmas cards, decorations, and natural hand-crafted wreaths, all created by our talented students. 

It’s also an opportunity to chat with us about our exciting plans for the Share garden redevelopment in Tooting, part of the Springfield regeneration programme.

When and where:

Friday 25th November
10am until midday - outside 64 Altenburg Gardens, SW11 1JL
1pm to 3pm - at our garden in the grounds of Springfield Hospital, SW17 7DJ

Saturday 26th November
10am until 3pm - at our garden in the grounds of Springfield Hospital, SW17 7DJ

Having injections can be a stressful experience, and making reasonable adjustments like allowing extra time and providing a calm environment can make all the difference. Working in partnership with NHS Wandsworth, we're once again running a Covid booster clinic for students, and their parents and carers. The clinic will be held in our immersive learning space, a special interactive room to create a tranquil atmosphere. 

When: Thursday 10th November, from 3pm-6pm

Where: 64 Altenburg Gardens, SW11 1JL

*Parents, carers and students must book an appointment by calling Mitch Gordon on 020 7801 9819, or emailing him at mitchellg@sharecommunity.org.uk*

If you're wondering what to do with your leftover Halloween pumpkins, then bring them to to us! The team at the Share garden are taking in discarded, carved pumpkins to make into compost and help our garden grow. So if you’re local to SW17, rather than letting your pumpkins go to landfill, you could help the environment by taking them to the Share garden, in the grounds of Springfield Hospital (SW17 7DJ), weekdays from 10am until 4pm.

We’re thrilled once again to be selected by the Co-op Local Community Fund as a cause for Co-op members to support. This means that for every £1 Co-op members spend on selected Co-op branded products, 1p will go towards funding our vital work.

You can help us by shopping at the Co-op and selecting Share as your cause. You’ll first need to become a Co-op member, which is like signing up for a supermarket loyalty card, and costs just £1. Then either join online or download the Co-op app. Then simply choose Share as your cause and when you shop at the Co-op, not only will they donate valuable funds to Share, but you’ll also earn Co-op rewards for yourself too.

Last month our students hosted a coffee morning for Macmillan Cancer Support, raising £70 to help people living with cancer. They baked cookies, banana bread, lemon drizzle and chocolate cake, making good use of our home cooking skills kitchen at our site in Brixton. The kitchen, built earlier this year with funding from Lambeth Council, has enabled our students to create a variety of home-cooked food, learning essential skills by making healthy lunches, mocktails to cool down in the summer, and now baking to help others in need.

Chris said, 'It's unbelievable! We've raised so much money.’ The baked goods were delicious, we hope all our neighbours in the We are 336 building enjoyed them as much as we did!

It's Befriending Week and we want to thank our volunteer befrienders and celebrate the amazing benefits of befriending.

It helps people like Share student Doris, who meets up regularly with Dot, her befriender, for a coffee and a chat, ‘I have a lovely time, going out is wonderful. I really like Dot, she is very nice.’ 

And Dot says, ‘I like working with Doris because she's funny and I like hearing about her life…it's very rewarding when she says she's had a lovely time.’

We're always on the lookout for volunteer befrienders to join our team. If you're looking for a rewarding way to learn new skills and make new friends in the process, then we'd love to hear from you.

If you're interested in joining our friendly committed team and helping people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live more independently, then we’d love to hear from you. If there’s nothing suitable for you but you know of someone else who might be interested, please do spread the word and encourage them to get in touch.

Digital Skills Tutor
Permanent, full time role, £27,861 – £29,755

Earlier this year we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Share colleague, Keesha Sinclair.

Robert Boyce, Share’s Head of Training, knew and worked with Keesha and shares his thoughts:

‘When we heard that Keesha had passed we were all shocked and saddened.

Death has taken away a genuinely warm individual, more importantly a partner and mother and deprived so many others, including us all, of a good friend. Although no longer working at Share we mourn the loss of a colleague, we pay tribute and celebrate a life that was well lived. A life committed to bringing meaning and purpose to people’s lives. 

Not many leave behind a legacy of such dedication and accomplishment. Colleagues knew Keesha as a warm, compassionate, always smiling, helpful and dedicated person. Keesha was modest; a real friend, not reluctant to offer help to all those asked. She faced the challenges of life with a warm smile and open hand. Keesha fought for better life chances for disenfranchised people irrespective of race, age, gender or background, living the Share ethos with her every breath.

The Share family offer thanks to have known and worked with her. We offer our heartfelt condolences to her family and hope their grief can be lessened with the knowledge that Keesha did so much in her brief but exceptional life.’  

And our students shared their thoughts about Keesha too:

'Always beautiful.'

'Love her attitude.'

'Good staff.'

'Beautiful nails.'

'Always happy.'

'Nice smile, always smiling.'

'Asked about my family a lot.'

'I will miss her a lot.'

'Took me to my first fashion show!'

'Helpful.'

'Kind to everyone.'

'Lovely perfume.'

'Lovely to talk to.'