Headway East London

What Headway East London does

Headway East London (legally Headway London – Brain Injury Services) is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1083910, Company No. 3998925) founded in 1997 that provides specialist long-term support to people affected by acquired brain injury across 17 London boroughs. The organization delivers a coordinated portfolio of services including a Day Service, Wednesday Evening Service, Therapy Service (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychotherapy), Casework Service, and Community Support Work that places support workers in survivors' homes and local communities. It also runs a creative rehabilitation programme through the Submit to Love Studio and community engagement initiatives such as Headway EATS supper clubs, collectively serving more than 800 people annually.

The business model is non-commercial: all beneficiary services are provided free of charge, funded through a mix of individual donations, challenge-based fundraising events, legacy gifts left in wills, grants, corporate partnerships (notably Osbornes Law, a 5+ year partner), and merchandise sales from the Submit to Love Studio online shop. The charity is affiliated with Headway UK, the national brain injury association, providing brand and sector credibility. The underlying technology footprint is non-proprietary and operational rather than strategic: SharePoint and Charitylog for secure data management under GDPR-aligned protocols, and Microsoft Forms for application intake. There is no technology platform, app, or API surface.

Leadership sits under CEO Anna McEwen, supported by named service-line managers (e.g., Fiona Aravindakshan as Community Support Work Service Manager, Katya Goloubeva as Volunteer Lead) and a board of trustees. The organization has been recognized externally via the 2020 GSK IMPACT Award. Referrals are open to self, family, and professionals, and the charity maintains an active presence across website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, email newsletter, and earned media channels.

Name

Headway East London

Legal name

Headway London – Brain Injury Services

Website

https://headwayeastlondon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Headway East London is a UK charity providing free specialist day, evening, therapy, casework, and community support services to over 800 brain injury survivors annually across 17 London boroughs, funded by donations, fundraising, legacies, and partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability & Brain Injury Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Home Health Care Services (62161), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurologic Rehabilitation (Stroke, TBI, Parkinson’s, MS) (HSADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Neurological Rehabilitation Therapy In-Home (e.g., Stroke, Parkinson’s) (HSABADAE)

Keywords

• Brain injury support
• Specialist therapy services
• Community rehabilitation
• Disability support charity
• Acquired brain injury care

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: One-off and regular donations from individuals to support the charity's work with brain injury survivors
2. Fundraising: Challenge events, art exhibitions, and community fundraising activities organized by supporters
3. Legacy Gifts: Legacies left in wills by supporters to provide long-term financial security
4. Submit to Love Studio Shop: Sale of art and merchandise created by brain injury survivors in the Submit to Love Studio

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Headway East London provides free specialist support services for people affected by acquired brain injury across 17 London boroughs, including a Day Service, Evening Service, Therapy Service (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychotherapy), Casework Service (advice, advocacy, peer support), and Community Support Work delivered in beneficiaries' homes. The charity complements these services with creative rehabilitation through the Submit to Love Studio, public engagement via Headway EATS events, and brain injury training for professionals and carers.

Product overview

Headway East London is a brain injury charity offering a portfolio of coordinated services for brain injury survivors, their families, and carers across 17 London boroughs. The core services include Day Service, Evening Service, Therapy Service (OT, physio, psychotherapy), Casework Service, and Community Support Work. These are complemented by education and training programs, creative activities through the Submit to Love Studio, and community engagement opportunities including Headway EATS events. The organization supports over 800 people annually with a holistic, lived-experience-led approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Submit to Love Studios: Art studio and creative workspace where brain injury survivors create art and merchandise. Located at the Headway centre.
• Headway EATS

Products and services

• Day Service Holistic daytime support service for brain injury survivors delivered at the Headway centre, combining activities, therapy input, and social engagement to help members rebuild skills and independence.
• Evening Service Wednesday evening service providing continued brain injury support and activities for survivors beyond the daytime programme.
• Therapy Service Tailored therapeutic interventions including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and psychotherapy for brain injury survivors.
• Casework Service Advice, advocacy, and peer support provided to brain injury survivors and their families from the first day of engagement with the charity.
• Community Support Work Service One-to-one support provided to brain injury survivors in their own homes and local communities across the 13-borough catchment area.
• Brain Injury Training Training programmes for professionals and carers, delivered with input from people with lived experience of brain injury.
• Submit to Love Studio Creative studio where brain injury survivors produce artwork and merchandise, including an online shop selling greeting cards, t-shirts, and related items.
• Referral Service Referral process enabling individuals, families, friends, GPs, and other professionals to refer brain injury survivors to Headway services across 17 London boroughs.
• Volunteering Programme Structured volunteering opportunities for individuals to work alongside staff and members in activities including art, cooking, music, and gardening.
• Headway EATS Public supper club events bringing together brain injury survivors, professional chefs, and the wider community, alongside conferences and exhibitions at venues such as Barbican and Rich Mix.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Osbornes LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeadway London and Osbornes Law have worked together for over 5 years. Partnership includes legal advice Q&A videos for brain injury survivors, guest blogs on housing rights, translated leaflets (Polish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Slovakian, Spanish), website sponsorship, and art exhibition fundraisers generating over £10,000.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT): Operated by The Disabilities Trust, BIRT provides specialist brain injury rehabilitation across the UK including residential, community, and supported living services. Directly comparable to Headway East London's therapy and community support offerings, with overlap in OT, physio, and community reintegration services for brain injury survivors.
• Different Strokes: UK charity providing rehabilitation and peer support services for working-age stroke survivors. Closely comparable to Headway East London's community support model, with similar therapy services and a focus on rebuilding identity after acquired brain injury, though younger-skewing than typical brain injury populations.

Others

• Disability Rights UK: National disability advocacy and information charity. Comparable as an adjacent enabler for Headway East London's casework service (which provides advocacy and advice) and as a referral pathway for brain injury survivors navigating statutory support.

Broad incumbents

• Stroke Association: UK national charity supporting stroke survivors, many of whom experience acquired brain injury with similar cognitive and physical rehabilitation needs. While focused on stroke specifically, the therapeutic modalities (OT, physio, peer support, family support) and beneficiary profile closely mirror Headway East London's services.
• Headway UK: National umbrella brain injury association that Headway East London is affiliated with. Headway UK operates across the UK with local groups and a national helpline; the affiliation means services, mission, and beneficiary population directly overlap, though Headway UK operates as the national body rather than a direct local service provider.

Regional players

• City & Hackney Carers Centre: Local East London charity providing support services specifically for unpaid carers, including those caring for brain injury survivors. Comparable as a London-based community support provider for the same geographic catchment, with overlapping family/carer support mission.

Emerging players

• Spinal Injuries Association: UK charity supporting spinal cord injury survivors with peer support, advocacy, and information services. Closely analogous operating model — specialist disability charity with community-based services, family support, and rehabilitation focus — but addressing a different injury category.
• SameYou: Brain injury recovery charity founded by Emilia Clarke, focused on rehabilitation access for young adults post-brain injury. Comparable in mission (brain injury survivor support) and therapy/rehabilitation focus, though more digital-first and national in scope rather than community-anchored.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCffHW4PnmqhLkv2uZmuyt5w
• Facebookfacebook.com/Headwayeastlondon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/headway-east-london
• Instagraminstagram.com/headwayeastlondon
• Xx.com/HeadwayELondon

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Headway East London