Our staff at Barnsley Street, alongside staff from Look Ahead, provided a talk and informal Q&A with Rushanara, giving an overview of the work and operations at the Hub in Bethnal Green.
Before a tour of the site, Rushanara acknowledged the pressures on mental health services, spoke about her own experience, and heard more about the importance of engaging people early in a holistic system.
In partnership with the local authority, the Trust provides clinical staff and social workers, while third sector organisations from the Tower Hamlets Mental Health Alliance are on hand for employment support, social engagement and activities.
Barnsley Street Operational Lead Mark Addo-Akyea and Service Manager Hannah Lawless, of Look Ahead, showed Rushanara around the grounds where she met service users and heard about their experiences. The tour included the four guest bedrooms, where a total of 40 people have stayed as of January 2026.
Mark, who helped conduct the visit, said: “We're delighted to host Rushanara Ali. It was a great opportunity for ELFT and our partners Lookahead to showcase the work we are doing in helping local people.”
Reflecting on the visit, Rushanara said: “It was a pleasure to visit Barnsley Street Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre in my constituency. This incredibly innovative centre, with its fantastic team, is providing vital mental health services to people in need of support in our community.”
Look Ahead is a specialist provider of supported housing and social care services for people who have a range of needs in local communities across London and the South East. Look Ahead’s services include integrated care, support and housing for four main groups: people with mental health needs; people living with learning disabilities and autism; young people and people with experience of care; and people with experience of homelessness and other complex needs. www.lookahead.org.uk
