Doorstep Help in Holborn during Covid-19
Our Doorstep Scheme so far has enabled us to support 50 local older people with food delivery, prescription/medical supplies and help topping up energy metres.... Read More
HCA News
Covid-19 – weekly update
March 30 2020 As we adapt to these strange new circumstances, we hope that you are beginning to find some routine and ways to stay... Read More
Update on our response to Covid-19
It’s been almost a week since we took the difficult decision to close our services due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We want to keep you... Read More
Carers getting creative
Our Carers Art Group got busy in the studio on Wednesday morning experimenting with a range of mediums, from oil paints to watercolour. ... Read More
Fun Palaces — Community, Creativity and Adventures
Hazel East is our Community Arts Manager at Holborn Community Association, this year she led on hosting our second Fun Palace at Conway Hall. Here... Read More
Over 55’s Drama Workshops with Michael
Every Wednesday Michael runs drama workshops for the over 55’s at Millman Street. He shares with us what happens in a typical class and –... Read More
Getting Creative at HCA – David
At Holborn Community Association we run lots of art activities for everyone from 0-99+, which over 55’s member David regularly takes part. We had a... Read More
Community Festive Lunch with John Lewis & Partners
Holborn Community Association this Christmas hosted a community festive lunch with the help of Waitrose & Partners and John Lewis & Partners. Throughout the UK... Read More
Food Explorers Recipe Book
We present to you the Food Explorers recipe book! Over six weeks we invited local foodies to share their favourite recipes with a very welcoming... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Karuna Befriending Volunteer
Our Befriending Scheme matches a local volunteer with an isolated older person to spend time together on a weekly basis. Back in the Autumn, we... Read More
Tybalds Estate Winter Fayre
Last week we got festive and joined in with the fun at the Tybalds Estate Winter Fayre. The fayre was a double celebration of both... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – David at Millman Street
David is 19 years old and from Prague and came on a 2-week work placement to Millman Street Community Centre organised by ADC College. We... Read More
HCA’s Taekwondo Students Win Medals in British Champions Competition
In November HCA’s Taekwondo Club took a trip up to Manchester to compete in the Taekwondo British Champions Competition. Led by HCA’s Taekwondo tutor... Read More
‘Londoners’, Don’t Be A Sheep In The Herd
We are delighted to present to you ‘Londoners’, a short documentary film produced by talented young filmmaking team REV0LUTI0N PR0DUCTI0NS on our Summer Film Project... Read More
10 Reasons To Love Our Creative Communications Group
Parent Harshita runs a brilliant blog Autism in the city and facebook group, giving an insight into what it is like to have a child... Read More
Food Explorers has a Pakora Party!
Our penultimate Food Explorer saw chef San from Thenga Cafe make Pakoras at Millman Street, turning it into an informal birthday celebration for a special... Read More
Holborn: Stories Of Our Streets
Last year at Millman Street local architectural firm Stantec hosted a reminiscence event for local people to attend, as part of their Stantec in the Community Week.... Read More
Holborn Gymnastics Club raise funds for Children In Need
Holborn Gymnastics Club was excited to receive a phone call from the BBC this Autumn, inviting them to film as many forward rolls or... Read More
Millman Street members featured in J Farraukh Music Video
J Farrukh was invited to Millman Street to perform and film her self penned tune ‘I am love’ – a tribute to her mum which... Read More
Christmas comes early at HCA
In October, Hazel our Community Arts Manager was joined by special guest, Adrian Lee. Adrian is the Studio Manager at Cockpit Arts Holborn. Cockpit Arts... Read More
HCA Food Explorers celebrating food in our community
Holborn Community Association has been inviting our local community to cook, eat and share food together as part of our ‘Food Explorers’ workshops, celebrating the... Read More
Fun Palace at Conway Hall 2019
We had over 100 people come to our second Fun Palace this Sunday at Conway Hall in partnership with a host of organisations. Fun Palaces... Read More
Volunteer Carolina at Befriending Training Day
This September we welcomed a new batch of volunteers to our Befriending Scheme supported by the London freemasons. We asked new recruit Carolina to share her... Read More
Seize the Clay! (with Amber and Eve)
We asked our new volunteers from Queen’s College Amber and Eve to tell us about their experience in our pottery class for children aged 6-12... Read More
Gardening at Millman Street #activeHCA
Our garden plays an important role at Millman Street, giving our members the space to be outside in nature and keep active. With thanks to... Read More
Ben Uri’s Art in Residence
Since August HCA has been hosting Ben Uri Gallery for their Art in Residence class every Friday at Millman Street for the over 65’s. Our... Read More
5 reasons to love our Under 5’s sessions #activeHCA
As part of our #activeHCA theme, we dropped into our Under 5’s session to find out 5 reasons that make it great! Space to play... Read More
From Nursery to Holborn Gymnastics Club #activeHCA
Our Gymnastic classes have been running for over 30 years, helping your child to develop in a welcoming and happy environment. It’s also a great place... Read More
South Asian Dance at Millman Street #activeHCA
This Autumn Millman Street is hosting Akademi, who are running 24 weeks of dance and movement workshops inspired by South Asian dance forms including Kathak and... Read More
Carmen from Under 5’s #activeHCA
Our under 5’s drop-in sessions for parent’s / carers is free and open all year round and a great place to be active. We chatted... Read More
Dance teacher Anna De Freitas #activeHCA
Our dance tutor Anna De Freitas has been teaching with us for 30+ years, mostly at Bedford House. With the building now closed for a... Read More
Keep Dancing! Over 55’s #activeHCA
This spring we put on our dancing shoes and ran 8 weeks of Salsa with thanks to funding from Arts Society Westminster. Also at this... Read More
Krishna at Millman Street #activeHCA
As part of our #activeHCA theme, we caught up with Krishna, who is a regular visitor to Millman Street on why its the perfect spot for... Read More
Just launched! #activeHCA
HCA this Autumn is launching our #activeHCA theme, showcasing the brilliant ‘active activities’ we run and celebrating the amazing people who take part in them. ... Read More
Summer BBQ at Millman Street with rewardStyle
On Friday 23 August the sun came out for Millman’s Street Summer BBQ. Over 68 people attended the event, including volunteers from rewardStyle who came... Read More
Family Summer Fun thanks to LABTECH
HCA has a long history of running summer holiday programmes for children, young people and families. This summer we wanted to take advantage of the... Read More
Carers Art Group
Our new Wednesday morning art group for carers got off to a great start last term. From painting to sketching, and even applying transfers, we... Read More
“I Wish…” Camden Mela 2019
In July HCA attended the Camden Mela taking place at Coram’s Field. For this annual event staff members, Hanif and Kate headed down to host an... Read More
Millman Street Embraces the Heat
This summer Millman Street Community Centre has been keeping active and staying cool with a number of social activities for its older-people members. At the... Read More
Holborn Gymnastics Club enters Stronger Communities Through Sports campaign
Just before the break up of term our Holborn Gymnastics Club entered the @ConnectSport Stronger Communities through Sport campaign, part of the Mayor of London’s... Read More
Arts in the Park in Red Lion Square Gardens
Last week our arts team started the summer holidays by heading outside to run four days of Arts in the Park activities for local families. Part... Read More
Lonely and isolated older people living in the heart of the capital helped by grant from London freemasons
Lonely and isolated older people in Holborn, Covent Garden and Bloomsbury will be helped back into community life, thanks to a grant of £77,827 from... Read More
STEM ROBOT BUILDING @ Blemundbury Hall, Tybalds Estate
Last week we kicked off the Summer Holidays with an exciting STEM Robot Building event in partnership with Give2Get and Pagerduty. With 50 volunteers in... Read More
Open Studio 2019
There was a riot of colour, chatter and creativity at 1A Arts last Thursday when we opened our doors for our annual Open Studio. There... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Jane from Millman Street Community Centre
Jane hosts (alongside Gloria) a weekly knitting group at Millman Street on a Wednesday morning, plus doing some post-crocheting Ping Pong playing! Here she shares... Read More
Regeneration Vloggers get ‘Satisfying and Smashy’
Our ReGeneration Vloggers helped with the clear out of Bedford House this month, by breaking things! The group of young pople decided that since we... Read More
#HCA Volunteers – Sorcha from Children’s Pottery
With the end of the school term next week and the promise of a long summer ahead of us we caught up with children’s pottery... Read More
The Millman Street Singers
The Millman Street Singers runs every week from HCA’s Millman Street Community Centre. Started eleven years ago, the group consists of Millman Street members and... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Befriender Lizzie with Eileen
We are wrapping up our #HCAVolunteers Month with another interview from our Befriending Scheme. The programme matches a local volunteer with an isolated older person... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Leah from Holborn Gymnastics Club
Young person Leah has been part of our Holborn Gymnastics Club since she was six years old and has been volunteering at our gymnastics club... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Befriender Lydia
UCL student Lydia has been volunteering as a befriender since May 2017. She tells us about her friendship with her befriending match Maria, their shared... Read More
We created, we made and we explored – farewell Bedford House!
Over half term we embarked on a final farewell to Bedford House through our mini Create, Make, Explore festival. We had an amazing week with... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Gloria at Millman Street
Gloria has recently celebrated her 80th birthday and volunteers at Millman Street Community Centre for two days a week. Prior to retiring she had a... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Befriender Ziyi
Ziyi pronounced ‘Zi’ is studying her masters at UCL in Economics and Business. Originally from Hangzhou in China, London has been her home since last... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Stephanie, Admin Marketing Volunteer
Stephanie is a local UCL student and found out about our volunteering opportunities at HCA via the UCL Student Union website. “I am a volunteer... Read More
#HCAVolunteers – Sue at Millman Street
Sue, a previous employee at Millman Street (and long-time supporter of HCA) has been volunteering her time in the computer room for over a decade.... Read More
Celebrating Our Volunteers at HCA
HCA is celebrating the achievements of our volunteers this year for national Volunteer’s Week hosted by @NCVO. Volunteers Week is a chance to celebrate... Read More
Regeneration Vloggers at Bedford House
Written by young person Mia This May HCA hosted their first Regeneration Vloggers session inside Bedford House with a group of young people. HCA is... Read More
Sport meets Art at the Calthorpe Project
We had our first Sport Meets Art session at the beautiful Calthorpe Project last week. We had a lovely time making animations on the decking,... Read More
Mishcon de Reya take over the pottery studio
Mishcon de Reya take over the pottery studio Last Thursday we welcomed a group of fledgeling potters from Mishcon de Reya to our pottery studio,... Read More
Metro Bank Brings Easter Fun to Millman Street
This Easter, Millman Street Community Centre hosted their own Easter Party with thanks to our friends at Metro Bank.
Meet Julia from the Happy Place, our mindfulness and yoga teacher
In the news at HCA we chat to our yoga and meditation teacher Julia from The Happy Place, who is on a mission to “spread benefits of mindfulness and meditation to the people of all ages”.
“I dance 7 days a week!”, HCA meets dancing queen Yvonne at Millman Street Community Centre
In the news at HCA this week we speak to the inspirational dancing queen Yvonne at our Line Dancing class at Millman Street Community Centre.
Success story: Bryony Summer Peer Intern
To celebrate the launch of our summer 2019 peer intern post at 1A Arts, we look back at the experience of Bryony who successfully took on the role last year.
Sunday Social Animation: This is Ball
This February our Sunday Social for the 60+ gave 8 members of our local community the opportunity to create their very own short animated film in under two hours. Titled "This is Ball" the video uses basic animation techniques to create a day in the life of a ball with wonderful results.
Half Term Trip to Somerset House
As part of our Digital Media Project, 1A Arts took a group of 11-16 yr olds to see the "Good Grief Charlie Brown!" exhibition at Somerset House. They also took part in an exciting workshop with one of the professional artists in the exhibition.
Noor takes over: a young persons work experience at HCA
This February 1A Arts hosted talented young person Noor for a week's work experience. Here she shares her experience of her week at HCA, including twitter takeovers, camera skill sharing with our older person, a trip to Somerset House and much more!
“It’s nice to be pampered”, Derek the Hairdresser at Millman Street
Once a fortnight our Older People’s Resource Centre at Millman Street hosts mobile hairdresser Derek Roman who gives a wash, cut and colour to many of our older members.
Jewellery Making Workshops helps fund 1A Arts Young Studio for creative locals
This February Holborn Community Association hosted their second successful Jewellery Making workshop at 1A Arts. The ticketed event saw attendees get creative learning a silver cut out and polish technique. Book your spot onto our next creative masterclass and help support creative young people at 1A Arts.
It’s hard not to be happy here! Holborn Community Association’s Pottery Sessions
"It's hard not to be happy here!" UCL photojournalist Anoushka Gandhi writes about our children's pottery sessions at 1A Arts with the help of some wonderful UCL volunteers.
Vote for AMATA VALE in Lift-off Sessions 2019
We are excited to announce that AMATA VALE, a short film produced by Reflekta films on our Summer Film project 2018, has been selected for this months' Lift-off Sessions 2019. This is an online event that showcases amazing indie films - after 2 rounds of voting the winning film will be shown at Pinewood Studios.
HCA Partnership with local law firm Mishcon de Reya
Holborn Community Association is delighted to be the new charity partner of law firm Mishcon de Reya. Founded in 1937, the firm is also based locally in Holborn.
Yoga For Women Classes
Holborn Community Association held a successful term of free women only yoga sessions at Bedford House.
STEM Classes For 8-12 Years
Holborn Community Association has been working in partnership with Tybalds Estate and 3 fantastic student volunteers to host twelve weekly STEM classes for children aged 8-12 years.
Festive volunteering at Millman Street
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Millman Street thanks to our festive corporate volunteers from Lloyds who spruced up our space with tinsel and gingerbread.
Our Annual Report and AGM
We held a successful AGM in November, with over 50 local people in attendance. Guests also got to look at our new Annual Report 2017-2018.
Getting creative with pots and poems
A group of over 60's have been getting creative with Pots and Poems at 1A Arts thanks to funding from Ageing Better in Camden and the Big Lottery Fund.
Salsa at Millman Street
Our over 55's are putting on their dancing shoes and getting fit with our salsa classes.
Stantec in the Community, “Holborn: Stories Of Our Streets”
This Autumn, at our Millman's Street Resource Centre, local architectural firm Stantec hosted a reminiscence event for local people to attend, as part of their Stantec in the Community Week.
Our young filmmakers premiere at Bloomsbury Festival
Young filmmakers Reflekta Films worked with 1A Arts Holborn Community Association on their Summer Film Project 2018. In partnership with Sir John Soane's Museum.