Celebrating Our Amazing Volunteers
During Volunteers' Week 2026, we want to take a moment to recognise and celebrate the incredible people who make so much of our work possible: our volunteers.
At LEAH, volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Behind every individual we have supported, every goal achieved, and every positive step forward is a volunteer who chose to give their time, energy, and compassion to help others.
Their commitment makes a real difference - every single day.
Throughout this week, we will be shining a spotlight on the amazing individuals who form the heart of the LEAH community. We have some inspiring volunteer stories to share, and we look forward to celebrating the people whose dedication helps transform lives.
To all our volunteers: thank you. Your kindness, generosity, and unwavering support mean more than words can express. This week is dedicated to you.
Be sure to follow us on social media throughout Volunteer Week to read our volunteers’ stories and take part in our games, quizzes, and celebrations.
You can read more of our volunteer stories here.
From everyone at LEAH, thank you for everything you do. 💛
Celebrating Refugee week 2026
We are delighted to be hosting a special event to celebrate Refugee Week in Richmond on Thursday 18th June 2026.
Open to sanctuary seekers living in the borough of Richmond, the event will feature an interactive poetry session inspired by this year’s theme of “Courage”.
It will be a welcoming space to connect, share experiences, and explore creativity together.
Participants are asked to sign up in advance via email or a phone call to our Coordinator Savannah Smith - coordinator4@leah.org.uk / 020 8946 1829
Thursday 18th June 2026
10:30am – 1:30pm
Whittaker Suite, Old Town Hall
Whittaker Road, TW9 1TP
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Savannah or email info@leah.org.uk
We are grateful to Richmond Council for Richmond Borough of Sanctuary funding.
British Museum Trip
On Wednesday 20th May our Merton students enjoyed a tour of the British Museum, led by a dedicated ESOL tour guide. The students visited various rooms in the museum and learnt about key pieces and the history of the museum. The tour lasted for almost 2 hours and was followed by teas, coffees and sandwiches at a local Pret.
What our students had to say about the trip:
"Dear Emma & Matilda. Thank you very much for organizing the trip to the British Museum today. I really enjoyed and learned something about different cultures. Also many thanks for your food and drink. Thanks again"
With thanks
A big thank you to the British Museum for kindly facilitating this session and supporting our learners. It was a great day of history and learning in an iconic institution. Our students were inspired to go back to the museum to see more.
This trip was made possible thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund. #NationalLottery players
A Year of Pride and Partnership
What an incredible year it has been!
In May 2025, we were deeply honoured when Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, the 191st Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, chose LEAH to be one of his two charities for his mayoral year, recognising our work in building resilience through language learning for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
Over the past twelve months, we have shared so many wonderful moments together. Highlights included a memorable volunteer summer party at the historic Guildhall in Kingston, where the Mayor and Deputy Mayor joined us to celebrate our incredible volunteers; a 10km run by our own Alice and Caroline at FANYS in support of the Mayor's Charitable Trust; and a truly elegant charity dinner at Glenmore House, bringing together community leaders from across the borough.
Throughout the year, the Mayor also visited our office and joined one of our lessons - a moment that meant a great deal to our team, volunteers and learners alike. Read more about his visit here
As this special year has drawn to a close, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to Councillor Hadjimichael, Ms Carol Berliner, Councillor Sue Ansari, Mr Jaseem Ansari, and everyone who has supported us along the way.
It has been a privilege and a joy.
As the 2025/26 mayoral year comes to a close, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames have shared this heart-warming message:
The Funding Network
Our Trustee Sharon Landa recently nominated us to apply for an opportunity to pitch for funding at The Funding Network Spring Connector event on May 13th in the City of London.
We were thrilled to be one of three charities selected to pitch on the night, and to raise over £10,000!
Trustee Sue Thomas presented for LEAH, and our coordinators Anna, Emma and Alice, and Fundraising Manager Bryony attended to share information about LEAH with prospective donors.
One of our Merton learners, Ramesh, was also able to attend the event and engage with guests.
Thank you to The Funding Network and everyone who supported us on the night!
You can watch our presentation here:
Photos of the event by TFN photographer, Alick Cotterill.
The Big Give 22-29 June
We’re taking part in Big Give, Global’s Make Some Noise and NCVO’s Small Charity Week campaign.
Thanks to the People's Postcode Trust, donations made to us in the Small Charity Week match funding campaign during the week of 22-29 June will be doubled!
Help us raise £1,000 in one week by donating via the Big Give in the week of 22-29 June to support us in providing essential English language support to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants who face barriers to accessing college.
Please complete this form to pledge a donation to LEAH and we will send you a reminder and instructions on how to donate via the Big Give in the week leading up to the campaign. LEAH Big Give Pledge Form
Thank you so much for your support!
Kingston Café Bridge event
Café Bridge has once again supported LEAH by holding a wonderful fundraising event.
Keen bridge players convened in Kingston, at a variety of venues, to enjoy a competitive day of playing. Players made their way through cafés and restaurants around Kingston, enjoying friendly bridge games, a raffle, and refreshments.
During the course of the event, players generously supported LEAH by purchasing raffle tickets for some fantastic prizes, and helped us to raise over £600.
We extend our sincere thanks to the Café Bridge organisers Michael Brown, Victor Lesk, Caroline Bottoms and Kat Freeman for their excellent coordination and support. We are also grateful to our staff members Sohail and Anna, along with volunteer Felicia, for representing us at our stall at Browns. Finally, we warmly thank Glutopia for their generous donation of prizes.
For information about other Café Bridge events please contact michael@cafebridge.org
Chiswick house and gardens trust
We had an exciting and inspiring trip to Chiswick House and Gardens on Tuesday 14th April, where learners spent a wonderful morning and early afternoon exploring, creating, and learning together.
The session ran from 11:00am to 2:30pm, giving learners plenty of time to engage with the gardens, take part in activities, and enjoy the outdoor space.
What we did
Learners arrived at the learning centre and began the day with a short introduction to the site and the programme. They also learned about volunteering opportunities within the gardens, helping them understand more about how the space is cared for and shared with the community.
We then explored the gardens, taking time to closely observe the plants and flowers. Learners used all their senses - touching, smelling, and carefully observing the natural environment, to gather inspiration for their creative work.
After this, the group returned to the workshop space where they were guided by a local artist. Here, they created 3D clay sculptures inspired by the gardens, which will later form part of an exhibition displayed within the grounds.
Many learners were highly engaged and clearly enjoyed the session. One unexpected highlight was the gardens’ photographer’s dachshund, who became a favourite source of inspiration. Some learners even created sculptures of him!
Images by Chiswick House and Gardens volunteer Chris Frost
Lunch in the gardens
All 14 learners enjoyed a relaxed lunch outdoors. Sandwiches, tea, and coffee were kindly provided, allowing everyone to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air, and beautiful surroundings while taking a well-earned break.
With thanks
A big thank you to Chiswick House and Gardens Trust for kindly facilitating this session and supporting our learners. It was a great day full of creativity, inspiration, and enjoyable learning in a truly beautiful setting.
Images by Chiswick House and Gardens volunteer Chris Frost
This trip was made possible thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund. #NationalLottery players
Further Learning Festival March 2026
During the week of 9 - 13 March 2026, LEAH hosted an exciting online further learning festival, organised by our wonderful ESOL coordinator, Keri.
All LEAH students were invited to attend 20 minute Q&A's with local/online providers. The six Q&As were well attended by all regular online group class students. Many students attended more than one event. We also welcomed students from 1-1 pairings and from our community class in Heston.
Language for learning:
Our pre-entry students were supported with vocabulary to help them navigate the difference between different learning providers.
Open to all students:
We had a visit from Sarah from Learning Unlimited: Online conversation clubs – Learning Unlimited
Students learnt about the importance of putting their learning into practice and contributing to discussion. Students were left keen to join LEAH's conversation club and Learning Unlimited conversation club/telegram channel.
For students hoping to attend college:
LEAH tutors who have also taught at Kingston College and West Thames College helped students understand timetables, exams and support available at local colleges.
For students wanting career support:
We had a visit from Karam from Breaking Barriers, Breaking barriers support adults from forced migrant backgrounds find meaningful employment though tailored mentoring, re-accreditation and support: Helping refugees find meaningful employment - Breaking Barriers
Click here to see the Breaking Barriers presentation
We had a visit from Mariam from the Launchpad Collective. Students were particularly interested to hear about their work ready English programme. The Launchpad Collective
Click here to see the Launchpad Collective presentation
For students who would like to study at university:
The Open Learning Initiative (OLive) was set up to support refugees and asylum seekers with university applications. I was staggered by the number of our students who joined Corinne's Q&A and dream of going to university one day. They were happy to hear how inclusive the university ready programme was of different levels/readiness for university:
OLIve | School for Policy Studies | University of Bristol
Click here to see the OLive presentation
Future plans:
In the second half of each workshop, learners were divided into small groups.
Our regular remote class tutors supported students to complete a form asking for their thoughts and feedback.
Keri says:
"I am so grateful for the tutors' support. So far, I have had some very interesting responses. Students are quite vocal about their motivation for learning and the difficulties that they face. Many students like learning online and the flexibility that it offers for parents/carers. I am now working through the list and signposting to individuals as much as I can."
Wimbledon Foundation Annual Evening Reception
On Wednesday 18 March, our Merton coordinator, Matilda, and Fundraising Manager, Bryony, were delighted to attend the Wimbledon Foundation Annual Evening Reception, at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, where they mingled with other local community groups including the Tooting Community Kitchen and the Rah Rah Theatre Company.
Bryony described the event as
an inspiring evening, and a great opportunity to network with local charity partners and members of the Wimbledon Foundation staff team.
LEAH is delighted to be supported in Merton by the Wimbledon Foundation.
Wimbledon Foundation Guests Ruth Shaw (Wimbledon Foundation Trustee) and Bryony Rowan (LEAH Fundraising Manager) enjoy the Wimbledon Foundation Reception 2026. Held in the Courtside at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Wednesday 18/03/2026. Credit: AELTC/Felix Diemer.