22 January 2026
Redbridge Institute Supporting Residents in Hainault
Redbridge Institute recently joined local partners at The Hainault Community Café to provide practical support and advice to residents in the Hainault area.
Working alongside Citizens Advice Bureau, The Redbridge Welfare & Benefits Team, FIND, and the Hainault, Barkingside & Chigwell Community Group, the Institute helped create a welcoming space where residents could access guidance, information, and signposting to essential services. The event was supported and helped to organise by Sonia Lard, whose work was instrumental in bringing partners together and ensuring the Community Café ran smoothly.
The Community Café offers an informal and friendly environment, enabling residents to raise concerns, ask questions, and receive one‑to‑one support on issues including welfare benefits, financial advice, employment, and access to local services. By bringing multiple organisations together in one place, the initiative reduces barriers to support and ensures residents can receive timely and accurate advice.
Representatives from Redbridge Institute were on hand to discuss learning opportunities, skills development, and pathways into education and training, reinforcing the Institute’s commitment to improving life chances and supporting community wellbeing across the borough.
This collaborative approach reflects the shared goal of all partners involved: to strengthen local communities, promote inclusion, and ensure residents of Hainault, Barkingside, and Chigwell know where to turn for help.
Redbridge Institute is proud to continue working with local organisations and community groups to support residents and contribute positively to neighbourhood initiatives such as The Hainault Community Café.