Mango Tree Workshops: Strengthening Brixton Families to Tackle Food Poverty, Mental Health and Youth Violence

The Crisis

We are requesting £45,000 to expand our Mango Tree Workshops, providing vital early intervention and family support for disadvantaged Brixton families. Many of these families are from African-Caribbean backgrounds, living in single-parent households, facing food poverty, insecure housing, and poor mental health. By working closely with schools and community partners, we identify children and families most at risk of falling through the gaps, including those vulnerable to school exclusion, exploitation, and gang involvement.

Our Solution

We will operate with a fourfold model of support:

• Counselling: Free sessions with a qualified counsellor with lived experience, helping parents and carers manage mental health challenges and build resilience.
• Food and practical support: Nutritious communal meals, grocery packages, and hygiene donations, giving families the means and confidence to eat healthily on a limited budget.
• Enrichment & connection: Creative workshops, cultural trips, music, drumming circles, and residential experiences during school holidays to reduce isolation, strengthen families, and build social connection.
• Casework & advocacy: Practical support for housing insecurity, educational barriers, and access to wider community services in a safe, confidential setting.

This funding will cover activity delivery, counselling, meals, care packages, venue hire, administrative fees, branding, and furnishings, to establish a safe, welcoming base for confidential support and community-building.

Who We Serve

Child poverty is high: over 20,000 children in Lambeth, with 9,000+ in Brixton wards, live in low-income households.¹ Around 25% of adults experience a common mental health disorder², and food insecurity is associated with a 257% higher risk of anxiety and a 253% higher risk of depression.³ Poverty, poor mental health, and racial inequality interact, leaving children at risk of school exclusion, exploitation, and gang involvement. Structural racism and systemic barriers continue to trap Black and minority families in cycles of disadvantage.⁴ Healthy eating will be a key aspect, supporting families to make positive choices and reduce risks into negative pathways. Poor nutrition affects concentration, immunity, and school attendance⁵, highlighting the importance of nutritious food in development.

The Difference

This funding will support 35 families (120+ individuals) over 12 months, reducing household stress, improving school attendance, and preventing family breakdowns. By tackling food insecurity and mental health together, we will decrease the risk of children entering negative pathways, including gang involvement, and strengthen family resilience. Early intervention is cost-effective, preventing crises that would otherwise demand public services.

Why We’ll Succeed

Previous Mango Tree Workshops reached over 250 children this year in Lambeth schools, with the Summer Programme supporting 30 children and their families. Activities boosted confidence, skills, and social connection, while parents reported improved wellbeing. With 20+ years’ experience and strong partnerships (Karibu Education Centre, Communities Empowerment Network, Number One Performing Arts, Code7, Marcus Lipton Centre, Dwaynamics, and local schools), we have the credibility and trust to deliver change.

Conclusion

At Options 4 Change we know Brixton families personally. Your support will help us continue providing the guidance, care, and opportunities that make a real difference in their lives. Together we can strengthen families, protect children from negative pathways, and show that community-led solutions work.

For more information on our work: https://options4change.org.uk/videoapplication

Sources

1. Lambeth Children & Young People Demography (2024) (lambeth.gov.uk)
2. Lambeth Together Health & Wellbeing Strategy (2022–25)
3. Fang, D. et al. (2021). Food insecurity and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Public Health
4. Marmot Review (2020); Lammy Review (2017)
5. Sorhaindo, A. & Feinstein, L. (2006). What is the relationship between child nutrition and school outcomes? Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Institute of Education