Decisions are being made about the future of community‑based (non‑clinical) health and wellbeing support for Grenfell-affected communities. To inform those decisions, the North Kensington Recovery Programme, NHS West & North London Integrated Care Board (ICB), commissioned Kensington & Chelsea Social Council (KCSC) to lead engagement with Grenfell-affected communities.
We reached around 307 people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire (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 6 Health & Social Care stakeholders.
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.
Find out more about the engagement and the report
Join the North Kensington Recovery VCS Network Session - Thursday 4 June 2026, 10am - 11:30am
If you need help before or after a session, contact:
- Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service: 020 8637 6279 (8am to 8pm daily)
- CNWL Urgent Advice Line: 0800 0234 650 (24/7)
- KCSC Central Team: [email protected]
- For questions or further discussion about the wider engagement, email [email protected]