The New Hanbury Project

The New Hanbury Project (NHP) is a training and education centre, located off Shoreditch High Street, East London, in an area with all of the usual inner-city social problems, including high unemployment, high crime and poor housing. This project helps people build up their self-confidence, learn useful and practical life skills, become involved in voluntary work, go on training courses and gain employment opportunities.

Activities
The NHP will provides hands-on, practical training to people recovering from homelessness, addiction, mental health problems, learning difficulties, and long-term unemployment. A variety of courses are offered: painting, decorating, wallpapering, tiling, carpentry, furniture repairs and restoration, electrical appliances, plumbing, DIY, arts and crafts, gardening, and cookery. We also offer literacy, drama, art, life-skills training, and music.

Aims
The aims of NHP are as follows:

  1. Training
  2. Individual growth/development
  3. Increased recovery from addiction and homelessness issues

The students learn new skills and are able to access statutory education courses. The NHP enables students to develop a sense of purpose and belonging, bringing structure to their days, helping them move onto voluntary or paid employment, so that they experience an increase in self-esteem and confidence. Client recovery therefore becomes more effective as each student has a practical level of engagement. Students are included in something worthwhile and drawn inwards from the edges of society.

It is our experience that without meaningful occupation, rehabilitation and change can be limited or sometimes unachievable for this client group. Already, our pilot programme has met with much success with items made and restored in the workshop including door plaques, bookshelves, coffee tables, CD racks, bird tables and bedside cabinets.

Hanbury Art Website
To view a portfolio of Hanbury students' artwork, please visit http://www.hanbury.org.uk

This project opened in October 2007.

Please contact the office on 0207 613 5636 or email hanbury@sct.org.uk for more information. Our postal address is: The New Hanbury Project, 3 Calvert Avenue, London E2 7JP.