13 Community Projects Awarded Funding Through Croydon Loves You Grant Scheme
Posted Monday 21 July 2025
We’re thrilled to announce the 13 fantastic community projects that have been awarded funding in the second round of our Croydon Loves You 2025 grants programme. These 13 creative arts-based projects will benefit the health and wellbeing of Croydon residents at risk of health inequalities during Autumn 2025.
Blue Lotus Collective are delivering ‘Craft and Connect’, a one-month crochet programme supporting single mums – especially those with experience of the criminal justice system – to develop crochet practice as a monetisable skill while lifting mood and reducing social isolation.
Wellbeing 4 Mee will offer 6 visual art workshops supporting adults with anxiety and/or low mood.
INCPA will lead ‘Strength Through Vulnerability’, a 12-week drama-based programme exploring mental health, masculinity and other ‘taboo’ topics with global majority men experiencing mental health need in West Croydon.
SpareTyre will deliver 12 sensory sessions for people living with dementia and their carers across Acacia Care Home and in AgeUK’s Thornton Heath community Memory Tree Cafe.
Play4Progress will offer culturally-relevant creative music sessions supporting unaccompanied minors experiencing low mood, social isolation and anxiety.
BTS Services is delivering ‘Calm Through Creativity’, a 10-week visual arts and mindfulness programme for low-income global majority adults experiencing anxiety, stress or social isolation.
The Croydon Association for Pastoral Care in Mental Health will set up a new creative writing course delivering 22 sessions for adults attending St Mildred’s Centre to enhance mental wellbeing.
Club Soda will be supporting adults with disabilities to develop creative content that contributes to ‘Leisure Link’ magazine and podcast, highlighting inclusive opportunities and reviews of local activity. Monthly social events at Riff Raffs will give participants an opportunity to get together and celebrate their creativity, while staff visits to care homes and residential centres will ensure those less able to come out can still participate.
Holmesdale Community Gardens will work with local adults experiencing social isolation to improve the Garden’s community activity space and surrounding areas by working with artists to create ‘upcycled’ statues and other pieces of art.
Music Relief Foundation will be setting up ‘Thrive Choir’, a new community choir supporting adults awaiting NHS treatments to come together for mutual support and mood improvement.
Young Roots will work with Kazzum Arts to develop a creative arts-based English curriculum for young asylum seekers that helps them navigate personal, social and health topics.
White Hut Studios in Education will train three early-career artists to offer extra-curricular music production workshops supporting primary and secondary-age young people experiencing anxiety or other barriers to school engagement to develop technical skills and confidence, and access further training programmes in New Addington.
Lioness Circle will support global majority survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence to build connection, improve wellbeing, and tell their stories through creative writing, play-making and book publishing.
To get involved in any of these projects, email CreativeHealth@croydon.gov.uk.
Find out more about Croydon Loves You and apply for funding between £500 and £5,000 for projects that engage residents at risk of health inequalities. Each project will offer creative activities to support specific health or wellbeing goals, such as reducing social isolation, improving mood, or supporting people with weight management.
