The Mycenae Reach Out Project

Established 2017

Deborah Fitzpatrick, 

Community Project Outreach Manager

When Deborah started her role at Mycenae House in 2017,  the first priority was to think about looking after our vulnerable community members.  We came up with our Reach Out 'Wellbeing weekly Thursday' group.  We now have a lively bunch of folk who get together and where friendships have been made for life.

We know some community members only get out to attend the Wellbeing group just once a week. Since then we have expanded our programme.  The Reach Out Project offers one off events and regular programmes to help our local communities reduce loneliness - we're reaching out!

Nominations and Awards

The Reach Out Project was nominated for Passionate People Awards with Marsh Commercial and for the best of Royal Borough of Greewich Business Awards. We were a finalist in the Student Library Association Community Awards 2023 for our community partnership with The John Roan School.

Our Approach

The Reach Out programme supports those that are socially isolated and/or vulnerable and who may suffer poor physical and mental health and loneliness.   We try to connect those from hard to reach groups to get together and make friends. Mycenae Reach Out works to support those community members and signposts to other partnership organisations who can give expert advice.  

We have worked with local Schools to take activities into Care Homes and have trained schoolchildren to become Dementia Friends.  The benefits of those visits to older and younger generations are evident in the relationships that have been built.

Reach Out Programme

• A weekly Wellbeing Thursday group for the vulnerable
• A weekly seated exercise session with Darren Holness and The Pointer School
• Monthly crafts
• Monthly seated exercise on Thursdays with Darren Holness 
• Monthly bingo
• Singing group for those with Learning Disabilities with Nightingale CIC
• Carer’s Hub with Greenwich Carers Centre for those needing support and advice
  
• One to one support for those new to Technology with Comfortably Digital CIC
• General - Signposting, advice & information - bookable with Deborah
• Exercise meets Dance for those with poor mobility and/or disabilities 
• Chill n Chat with Reach Out Volunteers
• Mycenae Music with Phill - Music and chat about albums
• A weekly Art session for budding artists who encounter significant barriers to accessing the art world.
• 6 week 'Identity' session with The Prince Phillip Maritime Collections Centre
• Friday music song/poetry sessions
• Hearing loss advice
• Instrumental and singing sessions from a professional musician for those on low incomes

     Sessions are frequently updated so keep an eye on new activities published.

Partnerships and collaboration

Mycenae Reach Out establishes brand new partnerships with organisations and are keen to develop more. 

Partners we have worked with:- 

The John Roan School, The Pointer School, The Blackheath High School, The Royal Albert Hall (Albert’s Band), The Alzheimer’s Society, Crossroads Care, Nightingale CIC, South London Special League, GLL Get Active, Royal Borough of Greenwich, Greenwich Music School, Home Instead (Bexley & Greenwich) Paul Clayton (Comfortably Digital CIC), Greenwich Time to Talk, The Greenwich Carers Centre, Greenwich Park Revealed Project, Rectory Court, Leah Lodge, Charlton Park, Puddington Lane and Morden College Care Homes, Bo-Peeps and Tudor Grange (kids into Care Homes), The Avenues Group (It Takes 2),  All Around Magic, Age UK (Men in Sheds), AGE UK Greenwich Befrienders, Volunteer Greenwich Befriending, SELWAT, Good Food in Greenwich, The GoodGym in Greenwich, Nike O2, Barclays Bank (The Royal Standard), Simona from Bluebird Care, Darren Holness Personal Trainor, The World Harmony Orchestra, Therapy 4 Healing, NHS Community Rehabiltation and Enablement Service Team at Oxleas NHS, The University of Greenwich Big Band, The Prince Phillip Maritime Collections Centre, Ignition Music Tuition, Xavier, Jane's Craft Corner, Janey Jones Crafts, The Irish Community Services, Dunelm Charlton, Crossroads Care, Kate Howden, Asda (Charlton)

Funding into the future

We were successful in receiving funding from The Royal Borough of Greenwich for Mycenae Digital (Techy Time) for those brand new to Technology and Everybody Sing inclusive sessions.  Looking ahead we need to identify funding pots and to bid for applications to expand Mycenae Reach Out in helping our community. We have lots of ideas for the future of the project. 

Could you help us raise valuble funds? 

Key People

Key people involved in Mycenae Reach Out include IT Guru Paul Clayton from Comfortably Digital CIC who helped us develop Mycenae Digital from day one. It is now a very successful project with group and one to one sessions for those brand new to technology.

Emma Bond, Creative Director and Founder of Nightingale Music CIC, Woolwich_Musicspace has been instrumental in leading our singing group for those with learning disabilities at Mycenae House and outreach into supported living homes.

Jon Foyle is our awesome digital volunteer helping people with their gadgets and we were pleased a recieved a volunteer award for his commitment.

Carol Foyle trained schoolchildren to become Dementia Friends and we were proud to run this project with a local school.

Darren Holness Personal Trainor and Simona from Bluebird Care and The Pointer School who helped us to run a brand new inclusive Exercise & Dance class.

Alison from Hearing Link for free advice sessions on Hearing Loss

Mycenae Reach Out also recruited volunteers from United Living Refurbishment Company,  Barclays Bank and  Nike 02.  

With thanks to Roger Minton from All Around Magic for continually supporting the Project as compere bingo caller, entertainer and magician.

Other key people are our wonderful volunteers and our community who get together and enjoy the activities and friendships made at Mycenae House. Our community are a joy to us and love to get involved in what we do.