New Collaboration to Support Mental Health and Wellbeing in Bexley
Mind in Bexley was pleased to support the launch of our new partnership with Active Horizons, a youth-focused community organisation based in Erith.
Together, we will work to improve mental health and wellbeing across the London Borough of Bexley, with a particular focus on supporting people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
This collaboration directly supports the South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB) and London Borough of Bexley’s strategies to reduce health inequalities, improve access to culturally appropriate mental health support, and strengthen neighbourhood-based prevention and early intervention.
The launch was held on Wednesday 28th January at the Active Horizons office in Erith. Attendees included Councillor Janice Ward-Wilson, Chairperson of the Adult Social Care & Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and Councillor Nicola Taylor of Erith Ward.
Yeukai Taruvinga, Active Horizons Chief Executive, at the launch with Damian Sirso, Mind in Bexley Engagement Officer
This partnership brings together our shared commitment to engaging local communities, reducing health inequalities and creating more accessible pathways to mental health and wellbeing support.
It aligns with the priorities of both the South East London Integrated Care Board and the London Borough of Bexley, including community-led models of care, Core20PLUS5 inclusion principles, and delivering support closer to where people live through integrated neighbourhood and place-based approaches set out in Bexley’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
By working closely with Active Horizons, we aim to:
- Signpost people to appropriate mental health and wellbeing services
- Increase awareness of the support available locally
- Highlight opportunities for community engagement
- Build trusted relationships with residents
- Strengthen culturally informed approaches to wellbeing
- Support early intervention and prevention in line with the NHS Long Term Plan
- Improve access for underserved communities in Bexley who may face barriers to statutory services
- Contribute to the wider Integrated Care System ambition of reducing crisis presentations through earlier, community-based engagement
Through this collaboration, we hope to reach people who may not yet be aware of the help that is available, and ensure that everyone in Bexley has the opportunity to access support in ways that feel safe, welcoming and inclusive. This reflects the ICB and London Borough of Bexley’s ambition to tackle inequity, promote parity of esteem, and ensure that local mental health provision is co-produced, culturally responsive, and rooted in trusted community organisations.
Active Horizons Chief Executive Yeukai Taruvinga said:
“Thank you to all the community members who attended and filled the room with such energy, insight, and a genuine eagerness to co-create this work. As we look ahead to the coming year, we are excited to build on this momentum and work collectively to bring this project to life.
Community members highlighted the urgent need to prioritise mental health through services that are accessible, affordable and shaped from the very beginning by people with lived experience. Their voices reaffirm the importance of co-designing solutions that truly reflect community realities.”
We look forward to working with Active Horizons on this important shared mission and to developing further joint activities, outreach and engagement over the coming months. This partnership represents a practical step towards delivering neighbourhood-based, preventative mental health support across Erith, North and wider Bexley.
Dr David Palmer, CEO of Mind in Bexley and CCPL Mental Health Lead for Bexley, said:
“We are really delighted to launch this collaboration with Active Horizons. By bringing together our strengths, networks and shared commitment to community wellbeing, we have a real opportunity to reach people who may not yet feel connected to mental health support.
This partnership reflects the direction of travel set out by the South East London Integrated Care Board and the London Borough of Bexley – strengthening prevention, early intervention, and culturally informed community engagement across our borough.
This collaboration has great potential to reduce inequalities, build trust within our diverse communities and ensure that everyone in Bexley, particularly those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, can access the help they need in a way that feels culturally informed and welcoming. By embedding mental health support within trusted community settings, we are contributing to our shared vision of integrated, place-based care that improves outcomes and reduces long-term disparities.
We look forward to working closely with Active Horizons, the London Borough of Bexley and our wider system partners to create meaningful, long-lasting impact for all Bexley residents.”
To find out more about Active Horizons, please visit their website.
