For this month’s Community Spotlight we are pleased to profile the fantastic Stitches in Time. Based in Tower Hamlets, Stitches in Time uses the arts to provide vital support to the local community. Their innovative programmes focus on providing a safe space and creative outlet for women, older people and children, giving these groups access to much-needed support and development opportunities.

We spoke to Esther Malvern, General Manager, to learn more about the charity and the work they do.

What does Stitches in Time do?
Stitches in Time have been bringing diverse communities together for over 25 years. We devise and deliver creative, socially beneficial, community-led projects and educational programmes in textiles and visual arts to create an inclusive, cohesive Tower Hamlets.

We provide a forum that engages our local community, enables culturally diverse groups to work together and change preconceptions. We address complex issues faced by elders, migrant women, children and young people. These issues are varied, from long-term unemployment to social isolation, multiple disadvantage and poverty.

Our programmes are more than just sewing – we use the visual arts and textiles to raise levels of achievement, education, skills-based learning and community cohesion, whilst raising awareness of issues prominent in our area, and giving a voice to those involved.

What challenges are there in east London regarding the issues that your service users face?
Tower Hamlets is undoubtedly the borough that best represents the city of London, with its glass fronted skyscrapers and luxury flats standing over densely populated public housing. Such contrasts underpin the highest level of income inequality in the UK, as well as the highest level of child and pensioner poverty, and a female unemployment rate which is more than twice the national average. Deprivation is widespread and our surrounding area has a higher than average proportion of residents who are long term unemployed and of Bangladeshi origin (42%). Reasons behind unemployment statistics are varied and complex. They include discrimination, Islamophobia, stereotyping, pressure from traditional families, lack of tailored advice around HE choices, insufficient role models across education and employment.

A knock on effect of such unemployment and reliance on benefits is that parts of Tower Hamlets are reported as one of the worst places in the UK to live as a child, and also as an older person.

Sadly, we regularly meet women who are isolated, depressed and facing difficulty integrating. Through this isolation, women have difficulty in addressing issues they are suffering from, including low self-esteem, dependency on partners and/or benefits; risk of exploitation and insufficient knowledge in how to access public services. Women we work with have faced financial abuse, pressure from family to marry young, domestic abuse, depression and mental health issues.

The effects of all of these issues on individuals and families are most damaging when suffered alone, without accessible support networks. We have witnessed first-hand the ever increasing need for the provision of early acting support. Our community wants and needs us to continue to provide a forum for communities without a voice to meet and be heard, with easy access to trusted on-hand advice, advocacy and the tailored services we provide.

Is there a story about your work you would like to share?
Fatima (not her real name) joined our English for Sewing classes 6 years ago. She joined with minimal English, had no employment experience and was suffering from depression, isolation and financial abuse. Her husband was in receipt of all benefits, including child tax credits, and was only giving her a minimal amount of money to live on and care for their children. Fatima has 5 children, 3 are her own, 2 are her husband’s with his other wife, who lives in Bangladesh.

Fatima then also joined our weekly Sewing Social classes, learning industry standard garment manufacturing skills, and progressed to her first job sewing in a local factory. Through both classes and receiving 1:1 support, she has undertaken volunteering opportunities within our charity. She has gained a range of valuable experience, including engaging with the public, sharing and teaching her sewing skills, travelling independently, and accessing public services. Through IAG support from our staff, she was assisted in setting up her own bank account, and now has financial independence. But she was then made temporarily homeless, when a private landlord doubled her rent.

During this time, her husband moved back to Bangladesh, leaving Fatima alone to transport 5 children to 3 different schools on 3 buses each morning. She came to our studio for support and we accompanied her to meetings with social workers, supported her to find housing advice, and assisted her with writing formal letters to help her appeal. Now, Fatima’s English has improved greatly. She is confident, independent, and has great aspirations for her future. She has a strong support network of friends, and both her and her children seem happier. She has just been successful in bidding for a council house in Tower Hamlets, after 4 years of living in Ilford in temporary accommodation, and is now excited for her future.

What are challenges does Stitches in Time face?
All our activities are free-at-the-point-of-access and we have high numbers of people on the waitlist for all our classes, so we need to ensure we have the finances to run activities, the right level of staff to meet the demand, and the administrative and management support to ensure our work is promoted and maintained at a high level.

Our current challenges;
● Helping to secure more business for our Social Enterprises to increase our unrestricted income and supporting our beneficiaries through employment opportunities.
● Working on evidencing both the success of the organisation and proof of need.
● Finding resources to help us upscale and upskill our staff and infrastructure

If you have any specialist skills, be that IT, press marketing, legal or HR, and you want to volunteer with us, we would be really happy to hear from you. If you are keen to support Stitches in Time please get in touch with antonia.williams@elba-1.org.uk to find out how you can help.