About us

WHO WE ARE
For over 50 years Island House has been a trusted community hub based on the Isle of Dogs in Tower Hamlets providing facilities and services for our partner tenants (Island Advice Centre, Island House Playgroup and Quaystone Church), local residents and other user groups.

Tower Hamlets is the tenth most deprived local authority in England and has the highest levels of pensioner poverty and child poverty in England. An estimated 40% of households are living below the poverty line, and the employment rate of residents is below the national average (Tower Hamlets Plan 2019-2023).

We aim to address the emotional, physical, social, and spiritual needs of those of all faiths and none, seeking to identify gaps in service provision and make partnerships to extend our impact and build a strong, healthy community. Roughly 300 people used the centre every week before the pandemic and numbers are increasing again as we seek to address loneliness and disadvantage, effectively improving the lives and prospects of our beneficiaries. Our work is especially valuable during the current cost-of-living crisis, which is the top priority in Tower Hamlets’ current Strategic Plan.

OUR MOTTO

• Island House: Supporting our community for over 50 years.

OUR VISION

• Building a local community where everyone lives a healthy and fulfilling life.

OUR MISSION

• To support the wellbeing of our local people, especially the disadvantaged and marginalised, to live healthy and fulfilling lives within a vibrant and thriving local community.

WHAT WE DO
We deliver our services according to our three community-focused themes:

1. Community Training - our SKILLS project delivers an integrated selection of language, pre-employment, and computer training to disadvantaged people, often non-English speaking BME women, improving their prospects of employment or quality of living, as well as a providing support and training for daily tasks that are now online, such as travel cards, pension credits, council tax reductions and energy rebates. This is especially needed during the current cost-of-living crisis.
2. Community Health – offering a growing selection of activities designed to improve mental and physical wellbeing, including our projects REFRESH (offering a range of mindfulness and exercise classes to improve mental and physical health), SENIORS (providing a selection of classes and activities to address loneliness and improve health of older people), and BILLY’S PANTRY (offering emergency food bags).
3. Community Hub - providing a base for our partner tenants (Island Advice Centre and Quaystone church), regular community activities (e.g., gymnastics and yoga classes), and other individuals and community groups, as well a home for our portfolio of community projects.