The Winch

The Winch Our mission is to help each child succeed, regardless of their circumstances, by giving them the opportunities and support they need.

We are based in Swiss Cottage and have been working with children and young people for 40 years! Come say hi if you used to come here!

Make double the difference!Every day, we witness the incredible impact our play scheme has on the lives of children in o...
06/06/2026

Make double the difference!

Every day, we witness the incredible impact our play scheme has on the lives of children in our community. With your support, we can take our mission even further. By giving today your donation will be doubled:
Your donation will help us on our mission to:

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Strengthen family bonds and create healthier family units.
🏥 Improve the health and well-being of children through active play and engagement.
📚 Provide a better learning environment where every child can thrive.
💪 Build resilience and nurture emotional well-being in our young people.

Together, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of these children and their families.
Join us in doubling the difference today.

Donate now:https://tinyurl.com/33e9aj6c

Grow Connect and Thrive

The Childhood Trust

Help us unlock critical match funding!Our mission is to help each child in Camden succeed, regardless of their circumsta...
04/06/2026

Help us unlock critical match funding!

Our mission is to help each child in Camden succeed, regardless of their circumstances.
Help us unlock critical match funding via The is partnering with us double your donation.

We need your help. If successful the £60,000 we raise will support our programmes as well as helping us with the cost to run the Winch.

Our biggest cheerleaders and supporters are in the community, can we count on you?

Donate now:https://tinyurl.com/33e9aj6c

Grow Connect and Thrive

The Childhood Trust

The tragic death of a 21-year-old man who was fatally stabbed at Primrose Hill earlier this year, has left many people a...
02/06/2026

The tragic death of a 21-year-old man who was fatally stabbed at Primrose Hill earlier this year, has left many people across Camden and beyond shocked and saddened. Our thoughts remain with his family, friends and everyone affected by this devastating loss.

Events like this can have a profound impact on young people. As communities look for answers, we also see how quickly misinformation, harmful narratives and online radicalisation can spread across social media platforms, influencing how young people understand and respond to these events.

Today, our team welcomed colleagues from Camden Safeguarding Partnership, who delivered a valuable session on recognising the signs of radicalisation and understanding how we can support young people who may be vulnerable to harmful influences.

Keeping young people safe means more than protecting them from physical harm. It means helping them develop critical thinking skills, creating trusted spaces for conversation, and ensuring they have positive adults around them who can spot concerns early and offer support.

We all have a role to play in building safer communities where young people feel connected, informed and supported.

Our appeal starts today! When you donate today, your donation will be DOUBLED, helping us support our programmesEvery d...
02/06/2026

Our appeal starts today!

When you donate today, your donation will be DOUBLED, helping us support our programmes
Every donation, no matter the size, goes twice as far!

Donate Today:https://tinyurl.com/33e9aj6c

Grow Connect and Thrive



Funds raised for our children's programmes and core costs. If we raise in excess of our target, we will use the extra funds
for other areas within our charity that benefit the children and families who rely on the Winch.

The Childhood Trust

From Camden to national policy! 🚀We are incredibly proud that our work with young women has been recognised in the Depar...
28/05/2026

From Camden to national policy! 🚀

We are incredibly proud that our work with young women has been recognised in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) new 'Game On' report.

Alongside the Sweaty Betty Foundation and Claremont Comms, our research with Black and Brown young women found that 43% of girls saw a lack of privacy in changing rooms as a major barrier to sport, and 1 in 3 had missed PE because of it we acted. Through our Just US Girls (J.U.G) programme, we:

Converted a storeroom into a dedicated, private changing space.

Launched inclusive activities from boxing to yoga, shaped by the girls themselves.

Created a Top Tips for Teaching Girls Positive P.E. guide with students from The UCL Academy.

Want to learn from our model or partner with us to expand opportunities for young women? Get in touch today!

We have just ONE WEEK to go! This June, we're gearing up for an incredible opportunity to boost our impact through The C...
26/05/2026

We have just ONE WEEK to go! This June, we're gearing up for an incredible opportunity to boost our impact through The Childhood Trust.

We're determined to make sure that every donation goes the extra mile, doubling the support for children so they truly thrive.

Save the Date: Midday 2nd June and help us support more children.

Save the Link: https://tinyurl.com/33e9aj6c

Grow Connect and Thrive

The Childhood Trust

🎉 Celebrating our young authors! 🎉A few weeks ago, we officially launched 'The Forest that Saved Us'—a brilliant childre...
23/05/2026

🎉 Celebrating our young authors! 🎉

A few weeks ago, we officially launched 'The Forest that Saved Us'—a brilliant children’s book written and illustrated by a fantastic group of young creatives as part of our Arts Council project at the Belsize library.

This beautiful book was the culmination of so much hard work from our young writers, our incredible workshop facilitator and author Venessa Taylor, and our talented designer Lucie, who worked magic to turn a varied collection of drawings into a stunning final product!

A massive thank you to everyone who made it possible and put so much thoughtfulness into making it a truly memorable day for these young people.

📖 To get your copy please pop in to the Library

⭐ Book Review Spotlight ⭐

"Adventures laced with some magic are perhaps what we as adults expect children to like to read. It is the formula in books as diverse as Wind in the Willows and Harry Potter. Well, it seems children do want just that.

This delightful book was collaboratively written and illustrated by seven children aged between 8 and 12, ably helped by two older teenagers. It tells the story of a family of a mother and father and their four children flying from America to England when near their destination the plane crashes in a forest. Separated from their parents, the children manage to wander off amongst the trees and get lost.

Their adventures involve encountering an owl, a squirrel, a fox and a swan (interestingly in a forest). And the animals can talk. Fortunately one of the children is able to understand them. Then it turns out that the forest is under threat from loggers with their destructive machinery (echoes of the Amazon here in England) and just as the animals help protect the children who are adrift amongst the trees so the four boys and girls help save the forest.

It is a tale of magic, of a stone circle and mysterious magical carvings, with charming and colourful illustrations. And guess what (spoiler alert!) it has a happy ending."

✍️ Review by Neville Spencer-Lewis, one of our volunteers.

Our current parenting course is well underway, and we are so incredibly proud of the amazing mothers showing up each wee...
21/05/2026

Our current parenting course is well underway, and we are so incredibly proud of the amazing mothers showing up each week. This program is designed to help parents uncover their inner strengths while equipping them with practical strategies to navigate their children’s needs and emotions.

Even while the course is still running, the feedback has already touched our hearts. Many Mums have shared that these weeks have genuinely transformed how they communicate with their children. From implementing effective new techniques to discovering the vital importance of self-care, the shifts we are seeing are beautiful.

🚀 We actually did it—we time-travelled to 2036! 🚀This past weekend, 60 incredible Camden residents stepped out of the pr...
19/05/2026

🚀 We actually did it—we time-travelled to 2036! 🚀

This past weekend, 60 incredible Camden residents stepped out of the present and took over the UCL Academy for Town Anywhere Swiss Cottage! 🛠️🌱

Instead of just talking about the future, neighbours aged spent the full day dreaming, thinking, and actively building it.

Guided by artist Ruth Ben-Tovim we used immersive storytelling, blackboards, and large-scale 3D model making to construct a physical map of a neighbourhood where both people and nature flourish. From considering our "more-than-human" natural neighbours to creating sustainable community ventures, the energy in the room was electric!

What happens next? The physical models and creative visions built at the weekend aren't just for show. They form the vital foundation for our landmark Citizens’ Assembly launching this spring! The ideas generated will help 25 randomly selected residents shape real, actionable green recommendations for Swiss Cottage and South Hampstead. 🌍💚

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We make sure young people have their say in the decisions that shape our organisation including who joins our team.Our ...
16/05/2026

We make sure young people have their say in the decisions that shape our organisation including who joins our team.

Our Youth Panel recently met with and interviewed candidates as part of our recruitment process, asking thoughtful questions and sharing their perspectives on what makes a great member of the Winch.

Creating spaces where young people are listened to, valued and involved is at the heart of what we do

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The Winch, 21 Wi******er Road
London
NW33NR

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