The Winning Harts initiative, part of our SW!TCH Communities programme, is focused on making Harts Lane Estate and its surrounding area in Barking a safer and more positive place for young people, families, and residents. The programme began in 2024 as part of the Mayor of London’s MyEnds programme, which supports local neighbourhoods to develop their own approaches to tackling youth violence.
Claire first became known to us when she applied to Winning Harts for a grant for her project, “Drawn to Nature”, in the first round of local funding. Drawn to Nature consisted of family-bonding workshops rooted in nature, offering ways of adults and young people to connect with exploring the textures, sounds, and scents of nature together.
Although the concept of the project was well-received by a panel of local residents, they unfortunately felt that the application did not meet the required standard. The feedback from the panel was that the proposal lacked sufficient planning and did not adequately show it would contribute to the programme’s goals of reducing violence and crime in the area.
As a result, Aimeshinim, Community Engagement Lead for the programme, began supporting Claire. Aimeshinim goals were to engage with and motivate Claire to keep going with her application and to support her in strengthening it to improve her chance of success in the next round of funding.
Aimeshinim developed structured support to guide Claire’s journey. Alongside attendance at grant giving workshops and training, they also held one-to-one guidance sessions. This early support focused on building Claire’s confidence, reflecting on the feedback received, and identifying clear areas for improvement in the application.
In preparation for reapplication, Aimeshinim encouraged Claire to revisit all our available workshops and training sessions to further strengthen her understanding of the programme. Alongside this, Aimeshinim offered ongoing support to help Claire refine her approach and apply learning in a more practical way. In addition, Claire began taking part in a wider community and family event as a volunteer. This gave her the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the local area, meet residents, and better understand local needs and service delivery.
Over time, this combined approach led to clear progress. Claire developed a much stronger understanding of the community and how her project could make a meaningful impact. She used learning from workshops, community engagement, and feedback from Aimeshinim and other member sof the LifeLine team to refine and improve her application. Attending the training for a second time proved particularly valuable, as she was able to reflect on her earlier submission and clearly identify areas for improvement.
The one-to-one support provided by Aimeshinim played a key role in Claire’s development. It offered reassurance and encouragement, while also providing focused guidance on how to strengthen the application in practical ways. This helped her rebuild her confidence after the initial rejection and remain committed to the process.
At the start of the journey, Claire was understandably disappointed not to receive funding on her first attempt. However, with ongoing encouragement and support from the team, she was able to regain confidence and continue developing her idea.
When the second round of funding began, Claire submitted a significantly improved application, which met the required standards and was successful in securing funding. She had developed a clearer and more structured approach, with a stronger understanding of local need and how her project would contribute to reducing violence and crime in the area.
At time of writing, Claire is preparing to deliver her project over the coming months. She has expressed excitement and confidence about being part of the MyEnds programme and recognises the positive difference her work will make in the area.
Claire was also very appreciative for the support she had received from Aimeshinim and LifeLine as a whole. Although delivery had not yet begun, she continues to volunteer with us and remains committed to giving back to the community, using the experience and knowledge gained through the programme.
Walking alongside Mariam on her journey has been a privilege. What began as a classroom connection slowly became a friendship built on trust, hope and many shared moments.
Her story is a reminder of how much people can grow when they feel seen and supported.
Dr Anne Smith PhD
Creative English Founder and Lead Trainer