Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest

What Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest does

Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest (Mind CHWF) is an independent registered charity (no. 283329) and constituent of the national Mind Federation, delivering free, community-based mental health services across the City of London, the London Borough of Hackney, and the London Borough of Waltham Forest. Founded in 1981 and operating from two sites in Haggerston and Homerton Row, the organisation serves approximately 5,000 people per year through a portfolio of specialist sub-brands and programmes: IRIE Mind (Black-led therapy and groups for African and Caribbean communities), Rainbow Mind (LGBTQIA+ therapy co-delivered with Mind in Salford), Safe Connections and Grief in Pieces (suicide crisis and bereavement support covering additional North East London boroughs), the Wellbeing Network (a consortium-led ongoing wellbeing programme), Therapy Services, Welfare Rights (benefits advice and tribunal representation), Drug and Alcohol Support (with Turning Point and London Friend), The Holding Space peer support, and free Suicide Prevention Training. Referral pathways span self-referral, NHS referrals (GPs, Community Mental Health Teams, Crisis Café), community connectors, and housing associations, funnelled through a single multi-service online referral form.

Mind CHWF's underlying technology is minimal and entirely non-proprietary. Service delivery is human-led through therapeutic, coaching, peer support, educational, and welfare-rights interactions. The digital layer consists of a WordPress website with password-protected video resources (hosted on Vimeo), Google Analytics, Zoom for online training, JustGiving for fundraising, and Eval-8 for volunteer recruitment. There is no software platform, algorithm, or AI capability associated with the charity's operations.

The business and revenue model is a hybrid typical of UK local Mind charities. Core services are free at point of use and not commercially priced. Income is generated through voluntary donations (one-off and regular giving via the website), JustGiving DIY fundraising, challenge event registrations (e.g., £45 for the Hackney Half Marathon with a £450 minimum fundraising target), corporate partnerships managed by a dedicated partnership manager, and paid Workplace / Training & Consultancy services sold to employers. The organisation is operationally independent of national Mind, raises its own funds, and has no institutional investors, public shareholders, or government procurement contracts for its core offer.

Name

Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest

Legal name

Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest

Website

https://mindchwf.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Mind CHWF is a registered charity and Mind Federation member delivering free mental health services to approximately 5,000 people annually across City of London, Hackney, and Waltham Forest, with specialist culturally-competent support for African & Caribbean and LGBTQIA+ communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

akta.pro primary industry

Mindfulness-Based Coaching & Training (MBSR/MBCT-style) (HSADAJAB)

Keywords

• Community mental health services
• Suicide prevention support
• Welfare rights advice
• Workplace mental health training
• Culturally specific therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and fundraising: Mind CHWF relies on voluntary donations from the public to fund its services. This includes one-off donations via the website, regular giving, and do-it-yourself fundraising (e.g., Justgiving pages, community events). Fundraising is a core revenue stream for this independent local Mind charity.
2. Corporate partnerships: Mind CHWF offers corporate partnerships to businesses seeking to demonstrate commitment to mental health. Partnerships include fundraising contributions, staff fundraising places, and joint awareness-raising activities. This is a B2B revenue/partnership stream.
3. Challenge event registrations: Mind CHWF organises challenge events such as the Hackney Half Marathon and Run Shoreditch Half Marathon. Participants pay a registration fee (e.g., £45 for Hackney Half) and are set a minimum fundraising target (e.g., £450). Registration fees and fundraising proceeds support mental health services.
4. Training and consultancy services: Mind CHWF offers paid workplace training and consultancy services to employers on mental health topics. These are delivered through the Workplace / Training & Consultancy division and generate professional services revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest is an independent local Mind charity that delivers free, community-based mental health services to approximately 5,000 people per year across the City of London, Hackney, and Waltham Forest. Services include general and culturally specific therapy, peer support, suicide prevention and bereavement support, welfare rights/benefits advice, employment and education support, drug and alcohol recovery, and paid workplace mental health training and consultancy.

Product overview

Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest is a registered charity (no. 283329) and part of the Mind Federation, providing local expert mental health services across City of London, Hackney, and Waltham Forest. The organization is not a technology product company but rather a service provider offering direct mental health support to approximately 5,000 people annually. Services are delivered through multiple specialized programs: IRIE Mind (culturally-specific support for African and Caribbean communities), Rainbow Mind (LGBTQIA+ mental health in partnership with Mind Salford), Safe Connections (suicide crisis support), Grief in Pieces (suicide bereavement), Drug and Alcohol Support (partnered with Turning Point), Therapy Services (general and specialist), Peer Support (The Holding Space), Wellbeing Network (ongoing wellbeing support), Welfare Rights (benefits advice), Education Courses, Suicide Prevention Training, and Online Resources. Fundraising is supported through Challenge Events (Hackney Half Marathon, Run Shoreditch), individual fundraising via JustGiving, and Corporate Partnerships. Referrals are managed through a centralized multi-service referral form.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IRIE Mind: Black-led mental health service run by and for African and Caribbean people, providing groups, one-to-one therapy with a black therapist, coaching, practical support, and social activities culturally designed for the community.
• Rainbow Mind
• Safe Connections Community Hub
• Grief in Pieces
• The Holding Space

Products and services

• IRIE Mind

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of people who used Mind CHWF services would recommend them
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mind in SalfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMind in Salford co-delivers the Rainbow Mind service with Mind CHWF, providing LGBTQIA+ mental health support. This collaboration enables the service to operate across both Hackney and Greater Manchester, extending geographic reach for both partners.
• Turning PointcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurning Point delivers drug and alcohol recovery services in partnership with Mind CHWF for residents of City of London and Hackney. Mind CHWF provides referral pathways; Turning Point handles direct recovery support including medical prescribing, harm reduction, and community integration.
• London FriendminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon Friend collaborates with Mind CHWF on drug and alcohol support services, specifically providing inclusive support for LGBTQ+ and minority communities as part of the recovery partnership.
• Centre for Better HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre for Better Health is a Wellbeing Network partner organisation delivering physical and mental health activities including Tai Chi video series. Services are available to Wellbeing Network members in Hackney.
• Core ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore Arts is a Wellbeing Network partner organisation providing mental health and wellbeing activities within the network in Hackney.
• DermancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDerman is a Wellbeing Network partner providing support to Turkish-Kurdish speaking communities in Hackney. Derman can provide Wellbeing Network support in Turkish-Kurdish language.
• Bikur CholimcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBikur Cholim is a Wellbeing Network partner providing support to Hebrew speaking communities in Hackney. Can provide Wellbeing Network support in Hebrew.
• African Community SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican Community School is a Wellbeing Network partner organisation providing culturally relevant mental health and wellbeing activities within the network for African and Caribbean communities.
• IRIE MindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRIE Mind is Mind CHWF's Black-led service for African and Caribbean communities and also operates as a Wellbeing Network partner, delivering culturally designed mental health support within the network.
• Shoreditch TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShoreditch Trust is a Wellbeing Network partner organisation providing mental health and wellbeing activities within the network in Hackney.
• Wellbeing Network consortium partnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMind CHWF leads the Wellbeing Network consortium, a network of community organisations in City of London and Hackney that collectively deliver wellbeing support. The consortium includes Centre for Better Health, Core Arts, Derman, African Community School, IRIE Mind, Shoreditch Trust, and Bikur Cholim.
• NHS services (GPs, Community Mental Health Teams, Crisis services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMind CHWF operates embedded within the NHS mental health pathway in City of London and Hackney. NHS services including GPs, Community Mental Health Teams (North and South), Crisis Café, Enhanced Primary Care, and Talking Therapies refer into Mind CHWF services and receive referrals back.
• Adult Learning in HackneyminorOthersAdult Learning in Hackney is the recommended referral destination for education courses (English, maths, digital skills, ESOL, skills for work) since Mind CHWF suspended its own education provision from September 2025.
• JustGivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJustGiving is the official online fundraising platform partner for Mind CHWF, enabling individuals to set up fundraising pages with funds deposited directly to the charity.
• National Mind (Mind Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMind CHWF is an independent local Mind association affiliated with national Mind. The national Mind Federation provides brand affiliation, network support, and shared standards. Each local Mind raises its own funds independently.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Turning Point: UK social enterprise providing substance use, mental health, and learning disability services. Active partner of Mind CHWF for drug and alcohol support in City of London and Hackney; directly comparable on substance use and community mental health provision.
• London Friend: London charity supporting LGBTQ+ mental health, drug/alcohol recovery, and sexual health. Active partner of Mind CHWF for inclusive substance use support; directly comparable on LGBTQ+-affirming mental health services and community-based delivery.
• Together for Mental Wellbeing: UK mental health charity delivering community-based support, advocacy, and recovery services. Comparable operating model to Mind CHWF — local delivery, person-centred recovery focus, and overlap on welfare rights and community mental health — though operating across multiple regions rather than three boroughs.
• Place2Be: UK children's mental health charity providing counselling and emotional support in schools. Comparable charity-sector model (donations, fundraising, employer partnerships) and overlapping mission on mental wellbeing, though focused on school-age children rather than adults.
• Mind in Salford: Another independent local Mind association that co-delivers the Rainbow Mind LGBTQIA+ service with Mind CHWF. Closest operating peer — same federation model, similar service portfolio, comparable scale, and an active joint delivery relationship.
• Mind in Camden: Another London-based local Mind association serving Camden and Islington. Nearest geographic and operating peer — same federation, similar local-delivery model, comparable scale and service mix, but serving a different borough catchment.
• CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): UK charity preventing male suicide via a helpline and webchat. Overlaps with Mind CHWF's suicide prevention and crisis work, but focused specifically on suicide prevention rather than broader mental health, and operates nationally with a remote-delivery model.
• Samaritans: UK-wide emotional support charity offering a confidential listening service for people in distress, including those experiencing suicidal thoughts. Direct overlap with Mind CHWF's Safe Connections crisis and suicide prevention services, but at national scale with a phone/online delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Mind (national Mind Federation): National mental health charity and federation of local Mind associations including Mind CHWF. Direct parent-affiliate relationship; comparable mission, brand, and service categories but operates at national scale rather than a single borough catchment.
• Rethink Mental Illness: National mental health charity providing community services, helplines, housing support, and advocacy across England. Overlaps with Mind CHWF on community-based mental health support, welfare advice, and crisis services, but at significantly larger national scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mindchwf
• Facebookfacebook.com/Mindchwf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mind-in-the-city-hackney-and-waltham-forest
• Instagraminstagram.com/chwfmind

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest