307 people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire were contacted, this included 236 adults and 71 children through 22 community conversation sessions hosted by 13 Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations. The engagement was further supported by one‑to‑one conversations, written feedback received by email, and the North Kensington VCS network meeting that overall reached 29 unique VCS organisations and six Health & Social Care stakeholders.
The aim of the RBKC Community Public Health Programme (2024-2027) is to support and build the capacity of the Voluntary, Community and Faith sector (VCFS) and work in partnership to design and deliver specific community-based interventions to prevent ill-health for adults most impacted by health inequalities.
Across conversations, there was a clear and consistent message that community‑based support is essential to recovery and everyday wellbeing. People spoke about the importance of trusted, familiar spaces; activities that are regular and flexible; being with others who understand the Grenfell experience; and having access to practical support alongside wellbeing activities. Time and again, it was the relationships, trust and long‑term presence of organisations that mattered most — more than any single activity.
People were also clear that this support works best when it is provided by trusted community organisations, in local settings, rather than in clinical environments, and when it is easy to find and access in different ways. Barriers such as cost, transport, confidence and lack of information continue to get in the way, while welcoming spaces, trusted relationships and support being available in their neighbourhood help to overcome these challenges.
This work was undertaken on the clear understanding that what communities shared would be used directly to shape commissioning decisions. Furthermore, we call on the NHS North Kensington Recovery Programme to go beyond engagement and to share decision‑making power with Grenfell-affected communities.
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This meeting is for representatives of local voluntary and community organisations operating in the borough of Kensington & Chelsea. It is not open to members of the public.