Disability History Month – Elizabeth’s Story

Disability Interview – Emma In this second interview for Disability History Month, we spoke with Elizabeth, who lives with what is often referred to as a ‘hidden di…

Read more
23 November 2023
Disability History Month – IIona’s Story

In the first interview in our disability series, I spoke with 39-year-old Ilona Brunyanszki, the People and Culture Administrator. Born and raised in Hungary, Ilona has l…

Read more
16 November 2023
Your identity, your choice! A Statement of Support for Transgender People

At Social Interest Group, we champion the importance of positive identity as a crucial element in health, happiness, and independence. Therefore, we have been deeply conc…

Read more
9 October 2023
Congratulations to Pathways to Independence!

Pathways to Independence has received a certificate of achievement for making it to the final stage of the Best Use of Volunteers category at the Kent Charity Awards last…

Read more
26 September 2023
Congratulations Veronica Claridi – Lambeth Home Care Manager of the Year 2023!

On Wednesday 20th September, Greg Tythe, Director of Development, Marketing and Communications, Veronica Claridi, Service Manager of Penrose Community Care and Support (P…

Read more
22 September 2023
Updates to Mental Health Crisis Care in London

New systems for Met Police and Community Care Pathways  Last week, the latest NHS Mental Health Crisis Care Agreement for London was shared. It outlines a continuing…

Read more
27 July 2023
SIG Participates in Cancer Outreach Seminar

As part of a broader campaign across North West London to tackle health inequalities, RM Partners West London Cancer Alliance, NHS NW London, and NW London ICS provided S…

Read more
10 July 2023
Carers Week

This is Carers Week, an annual event that aims to spread awareness, love, and appreciation of the fantastic individuals who spend a large majority of their time looking a…

Read more
5 June 2023
‘I Am More Than’ Exhibition Launch

Thursday 4th May, saw the launch of the Brighton Fringe Bursary Winner 2023, SIG Equinox Brighton Women’s Service exhibition launch. ‘I AM MORE THAN’ is an artistic…

Read more
9 May 2023
New Hope’s Coronation Celebration

Our New Hope service hosted a BBQ on Friday 28th, April, in celebration of King Charles’ Coronation. Based in Lewisham, New Hope is a high-support service for men on a me…

Read more
2 May 2023
NHS NW London ICB Partnership

Social Interest Group (SIG) has recently partnered with the NHS NW London Integrated Care Board to conduct funded consultations with residents and participants within loc…

Read more
12 April 2023
SIG Awards 2023 – A Wonderful Celebration!

Last Friday, the 24th of March, we hosted the SIG Awards 2023 at Lift in Islington. The event was attended by approximately sixty nominees and was a mix of staff, residen…

Read more
31 March 2023
Embracing Equity – Tracey

Continuing with our IWD series on SIG women, I met with Tracey, a Participant who runs one of the groups at SIG Penrose Synergy. The group, which meets every Friday, is a…

Read more
10 March 2023
Embracing Equity – Victoria

For International Women’s Day (IWD) , a day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the globe, we spoke with some of SIG…

Read more
7 March 2023
Solace’s Silent Disco

Our Solace Centre service held a silent disco for their 2022 Christmas celebration, which was a resounding success. Catherine Bingham, Interim Manager of Solace, said: “A…

Read more
23 January 2023
Synergy’s Rosie Shaves Head to Save Christmas!

Rosie Hunt from SIG Penrose Synergy service bravely decided in December to shave her head to raise money to buy Christmas dinners for Synergy participants and their famil…

Read more
9 January 2023
Roots to Recovery’s Christmas Celebration

Our SIG Penrose Roots to Recovery garden-based service held its Christmas party on Friday, 16th December, attended by forty members and volunteers. The weather was not gr…

Read more
23 December 2022
Synergy’s Winter Warmers

Our Synergy service in Luton held the first of its Winter Warmer sessions last Friday, 9th December.  There will be another four on the 13th, 16th, 20th and 22nd. Th…

Read more
16 December 2022
Volunteering/Fundraising at SIG – Jas

Volunteers are an integral part of our SIG community. Not only do they volunteer at our services, but they also undertake fundraising efforts on our behalf. Earlier this…

Read more
22 November 2022
London Services BHM Celebration

London services Jigsaw, New Hope and Lewisham services held a joint Black History Month celebration on Friday 21st October. It was day of fellowship and fun for the past…

Read more
8 November 2022
Synergy’s Black History Month Celebration

The celebration included, displays, dancing, food and presentations. They submitted their historical and modern perspective: Black history month is not just a month or a…

Read more
4 November 2022
Bedford Mayor Visits Holman House

Our Holman House service welcomed The Mayor of Bedford – known to all as ‘Mayor Dave’ – and Laura Church, Chief Executive of Bedford Borough Council, to the s…

Read more
31 October 2022
Profiling SIG’s Women – Veronica

Imagine growing up multiracial, multilingual, between countries, between cultures, and never quite feeling like you fit in. Then imagine using those conflicting parts of…

Read more
31 October 2022
Penrose Drive Opens

SIG Penrose, in partnership with His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), is pleased to announce the opening of a new accommodation and support service in Lamb…

Read more
28 October 2022
Safe Ground Joins Social Interest Group

A message from our CEO I am very pleased to announce that on 1st November 2022, the Social Interest Group is looking forward to welcoming Safe Ground as a new subsidiary…

Read more
27 October 2022
Solace’s Garden Revitalisation Project

Our Solace centre service recently received funding from the National Lottery to renew their garden. This provided members and staff with a boost post-COVID and they set…

Read more
17 October 2022
Roots Celebration Day

On a cold damp September, the 29th Roots gathered its members together to celebrate the first year of being fully funded by the National Lottery. Staff did not want the m…

Read more
11 October 2022
Spinach Harvesting at SWAY

Participants and Residents from our Southampton Way (SWAY) service took part in the planting, nurturing, and watering of a plot of spinach in the service garden with the…

Read more
26 September 2022
Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)

The Social Interest Group, our subsidiaries, staff and Board of Trustees, send our deepest condolences to the Royal family at this time of great loss and sadness. Her Maj…

Read more
8 September 2022
Brent Trip to the Natural History Museum

Last month, our Brent Craven Park service took some of the residents to the Natural History Museum (NHM). Below is an account of the trip sent in by Peter Henderson. R…

Read more
22 August 2022
Croydon Trip to Brighton

The residents of the Croydon services, staff and management journeyed to Brighton Beach on 28th July and had a lovely day out. The day began at a café where the residents…

Read more
22 August 2022
Food & Fun – Jigsaw’s Annual BBQ

Jigsaw’s annual BBQ was held on Friday 29th July, at the service’s main hub in Catford, and what a wonderful event it was! There were games, dancing, plenty of food and d…

Read more
9 August 2022
The Use of Reflective Practice in SIG

At SIG, we work with a cohort of participants and residents with very complex needs. This requires our staff to have very robust personalities or to be well trained to ha…

Read more
4 August 2022
Furry & Friendly Fun at Bridge House

The Service Manager at Bridge House Alex Sinclair, arranged for ARK Farm to hold an indoor furry and friendly experience for the mums and children at the service. Ark bro…

Read more
1 August 2022
In Solidarity with Women – Poem

Our Brighton Women’s Service and its residents felt very strongly about supporting American women with regards to the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe vs Wade. Roe…

Read more
1 August 2022
Luton Mayor Celebrates With Synergy

Our SIG Penrose Synergy service hosted the Mayor of Luton and guests on Friday 8th July, for a 10th anniversary celebration at the Roots to Recovery community garden on B…

Read more
15 July 2022
Solace Garden Project

Our Solace Centre service received a grant from the National Lottery to enlarge their garden and grow vegetables and fruits to encourage healthy eating amongst their memb…

Read more
13 July 2022
SIG Penrose Enfield Grand Opening

Our Penrose Enfield service offers 24-hour supported housing support for adults aged 18 to 65 with enduring mental health illness. It comprises a rehabilitation unit and…

Read more
11 July 2022
Jubilee Celebration – Bridge House

Bridge House’s Jubilee celebration took the form of an afternoon tea party in the garden. The day started with Alex and Karen running a morning baking session with two of…

Read more
7 June 2022
Jubilee Celebration – Biscot House

Biscot House held a BBQ with Royal games to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee on Monday, 30th May. Residents supported staff and the activities coordinator to decorate t…

Read more
7 June 2022
Peer Mentors Volunteer at Happy Pants

The Pathways Outreach Peer Mentor Coordinator Donna and some of the peer mentors and clients at Pathways, experienced something different a on a Monday morning a few week…

Read more
16 May 2022
Mental Health Awareness Week Croydon

In honour of Mental Health Awareness week, staff at SIG Penrose Croydon decided to promote it within the service to highlight the importance of mental health and how Serv…

Read more
13 May 2022
Mental Health Awareness Week

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week, a week in which people are being encouraged to talk about the importance of protecting their mental health and raising awareness…

Read more
13 May 2022
Connects Spring Fayre

Our Friday Connects group is an active social group and more and club members and volunteers have the chance to move inside and outside as they wish to get involved. They…

Read more
13 May 2022
All About Ramadan and Samosas Too

The Activities Coordinator at Biscot House, Runi, taught residents how to make samosas using donated ingredients, a few fresh ingredients and spices. Before, they started…

Read more
7 April 2022
MP Sarah Owen Visits SIG Penrose Synergy Service

Our Synergy office was yesterday visited by Sarah Owen, Luton MP and Shadow Minister for Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Faith. The visit introduced Ms Owen to the Syner…

Read more
5 April 2022
Penrose Pom Poms for Peace

Since the war broke out in the Ukraine, many organisations have mobilised and started fundraising and donation efforts to assist those displaced or otherwise affected by…

Read more
30 March 2022
SIG Honours Awards 2022

We were very pleased to host the SIG awards in person again this year. The event took place last Friday 18th March in Islington and was a great success. The programme inc…

Read more
24 March 2022
Rednose Day at Penrose Croydon

Penrose Croydon held an all-day event which included activities and fun, in which their Service Users were involved and helped to fundraise in celebration of Rednose Day.

Read more
23 March 2022
International Women’s Day – Profiling SIG’s Women – Veronica’s Story

In the third of our series of profiles for International Women’s Day week, today we profile Veronica Claridi. Imagine growing up multiracial, multilingual, between countr…

Read more
9 March 2022
International Women’s Day – Profiling SIG’s Women – Tricia’s Story

Continuing with our IWD profile series. This is Tricia’s story… When I sat down to speak with Tricia, I did not know that the interview would leave me humbled…

Read more
8 March 2022
International Women’s Day – Profiling SIG’s Women – Muriel Gutu

In honour of International Women’s Day, we are this week running a series on the women of SIG.  We hope that you will enjoy these profiles and be inspired by t…

Read more
7 March 2022
Boost for Bridge House

Our Bridge House service was given a boost recently with the support of a charity runner at the Hampton Court half marathon Jas Uppal, a Psychology Facilitator in the Pri…

Read more
21 February 2022
Brook Drive Is Closed

Brook Drive, our detoxification service, is closed and has been deregistered from regulated activities with the CQC as of January 2022 after 30 years of delivering high q…

Read more
9 February 2022
Peer Mentorship Initiative

Our Medway Outreach Peer Mentor Coordinator, Donna Payne, has been looking at ways to engage peer mentors and clients and increase their mental and physical health wellbe…

Read more
19 January 2022
Roots Unveils Hubert the Owl

A sculpture, named ‘Hubert’ by one of the artists involved in its creation, was unveiled at the Roots to Recovery Seasonal Gathering in December. The sculpture was a culm…

Read more
17 January 2022
Bridge House Says Thanks!

Our Bridge House service is a supported living accommodation for women and their children in Luton. Bridge House delivers residential support to homeless families in the…

Read more
24 December 2021
Changes Needed in Housing Sector

Our Group CEO Gill Arukpe, has contributed an article to the Inside Housing publication, in which she discusses, what changes the sector needs to make to offer high-quali…

Read more
5 November 2021
Black History Month at SIG

Black History month was celebrated at the Social Interest Group, with activities and celebrations in various services. Marron House Our Ealing-based service Marron House…

Read more
3 November 2021
Croydon Mayor Visits CFO Activity Hub

The Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Sherwan Chowdhury, visited the Croydon CFO Activity Hub on on Thursday 21st October during their coffee morning. Also present were p…

Read more
3 November 2021
Roots Celebrate With Luton Mayor

Yesterday, 12th October 2021 our Luton service Penrose Roots to Recovery (Roots) hosted the Mayor of Luton, Councillor Mahmood Hussain, to a special celebration at the co…

Read more
13 October 2021
Not All Heroes Wear Capes

When Darren, an ex-resident at Equinox Rinstead Road, set out for the supermarket on Saturday, it was just a few bus stops away so he expected to be there and back within…

Read more
6 October 2021
World Suicide Prevention Day

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and the theme this year is “Creating Hope Through Action.” The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) said it’s a p…

Read more
10 September 2021
Penrose Roots Receives National Lottery Funding

September 6, 2021 Penrose Roots, our garden-based project, has been awarded £413,004 from the National Lottery Community Fund. The award will be disbursed over a three-ye…

Read more
6 September 2021
I Am More Than

Our Brighton women’s service participated in the recently concluded Brighton Fringe festival. Their I AM MORE THAN art exhibition aimed to challenge the labels that are o…

Read more
17 August 2021
Activity Hubs – Transforming Lives

SIG Penrose is proud to collaborate with Reed in Partnership in supporting men and women through their activity hubs. The HMPPS CFO Activity Hubs provide safe and support…

Read more
29 July 2021
Penrose Visited by Bedfordshire PCC

Penrose Options, last week welcomed the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Festus Akinbusoye as part of his planned visits to organisations that his office…

Read more
5 July 2021
Pathways Residents Learn Cooking Skills

Four Pathways to Independence residents have started a 6-week cooking course, run in partnership with Ashdown and Medway Trust who run a housing related support hub in Ch…

Read more
16 June 2021
Step Down Service – Luton Synergy

Our Luton Synergy service ran a sexual violence step-down service from January to March, with 3 months funding received from the Police & Crime Commissioner. The serv…

Read more
16 June 2021
Mental Health Awareness Week 21

SIG participated in the just concluded Mental Health Awareness Week with several activities. Below is just a snapshot of those activities. Biscot House Biscot House decid…

Read more
17 May 2021
SIG Penrose Partners with ELFT

SIG Penrose is pleased to partner with the East London Foundation Trust (ELFT) in ‘The Coppice’ service, an exciting new pilot project in Bedfordshire. The project will l…

Read more
7 April 2021
SIG Penrose’s CJS Partners with Reed In Partnership

SIG Penrose’s Criminal Justice Service is pleased to be a lead partner with Reed in Partnership in the provision of CFO Activity Hubs for offenders in Croydon and Lewisha…

Read more
30 March 2021
SIG Penrose Partners with Only A Pavement Away

SIG Penrose is pleased to partner with Only A Pavement Away, to help the people we support through our Criminal Justice Services into employment in the hospitality sector…

Read more
19 March 2021
International Women’s Day – Celebrating SIG’s Women

This is International Women’s Day, and the theme this year is Choose to Challenge. Today we celebrate the incredible and inspirational women who work for the SIG. We are…

Read more
8 March 2021
Early Trauma & Domestic Abuse

Why Doesn’t She Just Leave? Women stay in violent and abusive relationships for all kinds of reasons, says Janie Pamment – and childhood trauma is a significant one When…

Read more
2 March 2021
LGBT+ History Month

This is LGBT+ history month and the theme this year is, ‘Body, Mind, Spirit.’ The overall aim of LGBT+ History month is to promote equality and diversity and SIG is an in…

Read more
5 February 2021
Bridge House Changed My Life for the Better

Our women’s services provide a lifeline for women who are living in fear, being exploited or in many ways disadvantaged. The support we provide to vulnerable women…

Read more
27 January 2021
Pathways to Independence Joins the Social Interest group (SIG)

We are pleased to announce that Pathways to Independence has joined the Social Interest Group. We welcome Pathways to Independence, a Kent based charity specialising in…

Read more
27 January 2021
Highlighting Our Work – Interview with Mo

Our frontline staff are a crucial part of our business. Their interventions and interactions with Service Users is the foundation of all that we do. They are the true exp…

Read more
25 January 2021
Bridge House Saved my Life

The importance of the work we do can never be over emphasised! The services we provide and the support that we give to those that need us is sometimes the difference betw…

Read more
13 January 2021
SIG’s Christmas Roundup

Our services try to give Service Users as much normalcy as possible in order to live fulfilled lives. Christmas was no exception as they did all they could to ensure Serv…

Read more
8 January 2021
Fulfilling Lives – Spreading holiday cheer

Our Equinox Brighton Fulfilling Lives team have been getting into the festive spirit despite the constraints now placed upon us. They have made Christmas packs which are…

Read more
23 December 2020
Solace – Combatting Loneliness & Isolation

The wonderful work that our Solace Centre service does and has continued to do throughout the pandemic, has been featured in the Ealing news. Solace is our is our daily…

Read more
7 December 2020
We Pledge to help End Violence Against Women

During these 16 days of action to end violence against women, we continue to raise awareness of the pervasive nature of male violence against women in our society. We als…

Read more
1 December 2020
Changes to Criminal Record Disclosures

SIG welcomes the news that that planned changes to the rules on criminal record disclosures will come into effect on Saturday 28th November. In essence, it means that chi…

Read more
23 November 2020
New Hope Anniversary & BHM Celebration

Our New Hope service held a joint event in celebration of its 22nd birthday and Black History Month. The event was Service User led and took place in a marquee in the bac…

Read more
11 November 2020
Black History Month – Staff Views

This Black History Month has seemed more significant for a number of reasons, due to events that have taken place this year. The theme ‘Dig Deeper, Look Closer,Thin…

Read more
3 November 2020
Therapeutic Garden

When the Service Users at Farley Road were asked what they wanted to do with their outdoor space, their responses included, having an area for smoking and growing herb fo…

Read more
26 October 2020
Black History Month Advent Calendar

Here is another great resource for BHM. It is a calendar which contains a wealth of information on black achievement. Each day features a different person, with a profile…

Read more
20 October 2020
World Mental Health Day Round-up

At SIG, World Mental Health Day was celebrated in a number of ways throughout the group. The first SIG virtual Tea and Talk was held on Thursday 8th October. Great conve…

Read more
15 October 2020
Penrose CJS’ Work Highlighted in MOJ report

Our Criminal Justice Services are doing extremely important work in the resettlement area. The October quarterly report from the Ministry of Justice Data Lab has highligh…

Read more
9 October 2020
WMH Day Art & Poetry Competition

Our SIG Equinox Service, The Solace centre, has held an art and poetry competition for World Mental Health Day. Comedian Jo Brand, a  supporter of the centre, judged the…

Read more
8 October 2020
Black History Month

October is Black History Month in the UK, which began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. But it is now much more…

Read more
2 October 2020
Bedford Blues Foundation Programme

The Bedford Blues Foundation has agreed a six-month programme with us, supporting physical & mental wellbeing. Service Users at our Homan House service will have…

Read more
1 October 2020
Make Change Count Now ‘Live’

SIG Equinox Brighton are amongst a group of organisations supporting the city’s Make Change Count campaign. The campaign, which supports people who are rough sleeping, is…

Read more
28 July 2020
Surviving COVID-19

Over the last few weeks, Service Users and Staff at our Churchfield service have been reflecting on the months in lockdown, what this means to them, and how they have bee…

Read more
2 June 2020
Lettuce Be Kind

Our garden based project, SIG Penrose Roots observed Mental Health awareness Week with the a unique intuitive. Their “lettucebekind” campaign involved leaving lettuces wi…

Read more
1 June 2020
Mental Health Awareness week – Be Kind

In 1989, the movie ‘Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure’ was released in the cinemas. Within that film the main characters coin the term, ‘Be Excellent to Each Other’ as a…

Read more
19 May 2020
Make Change Count 2020

SIG Equinox is proud to be a part of Brighton and Hove’s Make Change Count campaign, supporting people who are rough sleeping, is back for 2020. More than £100,000 has be…

Read more
4 May 2020
Urgent appeal for Makers of Scrubs

With intense pressure on the supply chain for PPE equipment, we are challenged to provide Scrubs to our frontline staff as recommended by the government. We are urgently…

Read more
27 April 2020
Joining the Fight Against Coronavirus

Today, in partnership with Guys and St Thomas’s Hospital, the Social Interest Group through SIG Equinox joins the direct fight to help people recover from COVID 19! As of…

Read more
15 April 2020
SIG New Year Honours Awards 2020

Honouring Service Users & Staff Approximately 40 guests gathered at Lift Angel in Islington for the first Social Interest Group Awards Luncheon on Monday, 24th F…

Read more
26 February 2020
Figures Show Gender-Based Violence at An All-time High

Today we are saddened by the news that female homicide is at its highest level in over a decade. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) released that in March 2019 and t…

Read more
14 February 2020
The True Cost of Homelessness

Knowyourmoney.co.uk has published a new study on “the true cost of homelessness.” Research suggests that the main underlying cause of homelessness is lack of ac…

Read more
10 February 2020
Alcohol and Me – Michael’s Story

As part of Alcohol Awareness Week (11-17 November), Alcohol Change UK requested guest blogs called, Alcohol and Me, which is the theme for the week. The week is about awa…

Read more
18 November 2019