Meet some of our Connect participants
Below we share a series of real stories from residents in Barking & Dagenham who have been part of the Connect programme, to illustrate how Neighbourhood Health approaches are coming alive in the borough.
The stories illustrate how a long term and person centred approach, which puts residents in the lead, helps us source the right support, opportunity and community to draw around people so that residents can, meet their deepest ambitions, reduce their reliance on services and contribute their strengths and skills to their neighbourhood.
Meet Lucy: “I’m like an onion with different layers”
Lucy is a mother of five who has lived in Barking & Dagenham for over 20 years. Her family lives with multiple health challenges, including sickle cell, disability and complex mental and physical health needs of her own. When she joined Connect, hospital appointments were frequent. Leaving the house felt exhausting. Confidence was low.
Through time, trust and creativity, Lucy began to reconnect, first with herself, then with others through 1:1 support from her Connection Catalyst (@Susie) and the Shed Life Community Group and
10 months on, Lucy is sewing again and selling her creations. And the impact hasn’t stopped with her. Seeing her mum grow in confidence encouraged Lucy’s daughter Elizabeth to join Shed Life, where she’s now building her own confidence and pursuing her ambition to write.
Meet Joshua: “I’ve made lots of friends which has made me feel way more comfortable”
Joshua is 24 and has grown up managing a long-term health condition. Hospital stays were frequent, and it was easy to end up staying at home and keeping to himself.
Through Connect, Joshua joined Shed Life, a place where he found people, purpose, and room to be himself.
10 months on, Joshua hasn’t been back to hospital, is managing his health more confidently, volunteering regularly, and welcoming others into the group. He’s also taken up roller skating, trying new things with friends and enjoying being active in ways that feel fun, not forced.
Meet Pat: “I’ve always been one to get out”
Pat is 85 and spent most of her life caring for others. After losing her husband and experiencing a stroke, she became largely housebound. The world beyond her front door felt uncertain.
With gentle, consistent support through Connect, Pat began taking careful steps back into her neighbourhood.
10 months on, Pat is spending time with family, staying with friends at weekends, and reaching out to neighbours when she needs support. Life hasn’t gone back to how it was, but it feels fuller again.
Meet Gerald: “The couple I brought into Shed Life invited me to their house on Christmas day. I stayed with them all day and we watched five John Wayne Westerns”
Gerald’s life hasn’t been easy. He lost his dad young, experienced violence at home, and later lived with mental health challenges following a serious accident. He met his wife through a mental health drop-in, and work was always something he was proud of even when it meant long years of physically demanding jobs in tough conditions. But when his home environment deteriorated and eviction became a real risk, everything felt fragile.
Through Connect, Gerald was supported practically and relationally, with people who recognised his history, his contribution, and his need to stay connected to place.
10 months on, Gerald is living in his newly refurbished flat. Supported by his Shed Life friends and getting out and about, heading to the Thames Hub library most days.
Meet Delfa: “I’ve got more stamina and self pride”
When Delfa joined Connect, life felt unsettled. Housing worries, money concerns and isolation made it hard to find structure or look ahead.
With steady, relational support, Delfa began to rebuild that structure, starting with a lifemap that helped her make sense of where she was and where she wanted to go.
10 months on, Delfa says that she’s been so busy that she’s still looking for a window to complete her second lifemap. When she’s not hosting friends for Sunday lunch, Delfa is going to the Golden Years group in Thames View, reconnecting with familiar places, or joining the Harmony House Luncheon Club.
She’s now settled in housing that works for her, and is proactively making appointments at the local library to deal with money and debt, without needing the same level of support as before.
And the ripples are spreading. Recently, Delfa invited all her neighbours to a birthday BBQ in the communal gardens, bringing people together in the same way she was once supported.