St Margaret's House Settlement

What St Margaret's House Settlement does

St Margaret's House (SMH) is a registered charity (Charity No. 1148832, Company No. 07645599) operating a community arts and wellbeing centre from a Grade II listed Georgian campus at 21 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Founded in 1889 as part of the Settlement Movement and located at its present site since 1903, SMH runs an interconnected portfolio of venues and programmes: The Gallery Cafe (a 100% plant-based vegan cafe with rotating art exhibitions), Ayoka Charity Boutique (a secondhand designer and vintage retail store), The Canvas wellbeing studio, The Create Place community arts space, hireable event spaces, affordable office space for 30+ community and charity tenants, an Artist in Residence programme, weekly wellbeing sessions, gallery exhibitions and community projects including Repair Cafes and Grief Cafes. The organisation employs 15–20 core staff supplemented by substantial volunteer capacity.

SMH's primary beneficiaries are local Bethnal Green and Tower Hamlets residents, NHS socially-prescribed patients referred by Primary Care Networks (Link Workers and Community Connectors), emerging local artists (particularly underrepresented practitioners), and the 30+ small charities and community organisations that rent space on the campus. Its 'Creative Health Tree' model — developed through the Thriving Communities programme and GLA-commissioned research — systematically links cultural activity with health and wellbeing outcomes, and underpins a social prescribing pathway that grew from 3 referrals/month in 2019 to 35/month in 2022.

SMH's revenue model is a hybrid of public and charitable grants (including Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status since April 2023, plus funding from BBC Children in Need, City Bridge Foundation, the National Lottery, Sport England, the GLA and others), earned trading income (cafe, charity shop, venue and office hire), and individual donations. Pricing is intentionally affordable or free across most activities. The organisation is governed by a board of trustees and led by Co-CEOs Jonno Ellicott (Executive Director) and Beccy Allen (Arts & Wellbeing Director). There is no proprietary technology platform underpinning the operation; the website is built on Squarespace and the business is fundamentally a place-based, human-delivery model.

Name

St Margaret's House Settlement

Legal name

St Margaret's House Settlement

Website

https://stmargaretshouse.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St Margaret's House is a community arts and wellbeing charity in Bethnal Green, East London, operating a Grade II listed multi-venue campus including a vegan cafe, charity boutique, hireable event spaces, and creative health programmes serving local residents, NHS-referred patients, and 30+ tenant charities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Grants and Public Funding: Annual funding from Arts Council England as National Portfolio Organisation (since April 2023). Additional grants from BBC Children in Need, City Bridge Foundation, The National Lottery, Sport England, and other institutional funders.
2. Gallery Cafe Operations: Award-winning 100% plant-based vegan cafe generating revenue from breakfast and lunch service. Features Italian and Bangladeshi heritage-influenced menu with locally sourced seasonal ingredients.
3. Ayoka Charity Boutique: Charity boutique selling secondhand designer and vintage clothes, homewares, antiques, books, DVDs, CDs, vinyl. All proceeds support SMH arts and wellbeing programme.
4. Space and Office Hire: Revenue from hiring event/rehearsal spaces, meeting rooms, and affordable office space to 30+ community organisations and charities in Grade II listed Georgian premises.
5. Individual Donations: Voluntary donations from individuals including monthly donors, event/workshop ticket purchases, and memorial donations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

St Margaret's House is a community arts and wellbeing centre operating a multi-venue campus in Bethnal Green, delivering creative health programmes (workshops, wellbeing sessions, exhibitions, social prescribing), supported by The Gallery Cafe (100% plant-based vegan cafe with art exhibitions), Ayoka Charity Boutique (secondhand designer/vintage retail), The Canvas wellbeing studio, The Create Place community arts space, garden, hireable event/meeting spaces, and affordable office lets to 30+ community organisations.

Product overview

St Margaret's House is a community Arts and Wellbeing Centre operating as a multi-venue campus with interconnected services. The core offering combines creative health programmes (wellbeing sessions, community workshops, exhibitions) with physical venue operations (Gallery Cafe, Ayoka charity boutique, hireable spaces, office tenants). The Creative Health Tree model underpins their approach, connecting cultural activities with health and wellbeing services through social prescribing. Key venue products include The Gallery Cafe (vegan restaurant with exhibitions), Ayoka (charity boutique), The Canvas (wellbeing studio), The Create Place (arts space), and various hireable event/meeting spaces. The organisation provides artist development through an Artist in Residence programme and operates community projects including Repair Cafes, Grief Cafes, and heritage initiatives. Sustainability is embedded through the charity shop, food waste recycling, and biodiversity garden.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Gallery Cafe: Award-winning 100% plant-based vegan cafe serving breakfast and lunch daily, featuring a rolling programme of visual art exhibitions and a garden space.
• Ayoka
• The Canvas
• The Create Place

Products and services

• The Gallery Cafe Award-winning 100% plant-based vegan cafe serving breakfast and lunch daily, with a rolling programme of visual art exhibitions and access to an award-winning biodiverse garden. Open to individual walk-in customers.
• Ayoka Charity Boutique Charity boutique selling affordable secondhand designer and vintage clothes, homewares, antiques, DVDs, CDs, vinyl records and books. All proceeds support St Margaret's House arts and wellbeing programmes. Open to individual customers.
• The Canvas (Wellbeing Studio) A calming studio space available to hire for wellbeing activities and events, offering small groups a space to connect, move or relax. Hosts a range of wellbeing sessions and clinics for individuals and groups.
• The Create Place (Community Arts Space) Flexible community arts space serving as a launch pad for creative community projects and a place to share skills, create and have fun. Features a variety of community workshops and events open to local residents and visitors.
• Space Hire (Event & Meeting Rooms) Rental of diverse meeting rooms and event spaces including Edwardian board room, converted chapel, large hall, rehearsal studio and small cabin on an affordable ad-hoc basis. Used for events, meetings, rehearsals, performances and workshops by community organisations and individuals.
• Office Space Rental Affordable office space for community, charity and grassroots organisations in Grade II listed Georgian premises in Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets. Home to over 30 tenant organisations including Afasic, BPCA and London Arts & Health.
• Artist in Residence Programme Three-month residency programme providing free studio space, £300 materials budget, weekly producer support, workshop/event/exhibition production support, and marketing assistance for emerging artists, particularly underrepresented artists with socially engaged practice.
• Community Projects & Workshops Range of community projects including creative workshops, support groups, exhibitions, heritage projects and seasonal events. Includes Ghyama Arts, Repair Cafes, Grief Cafes, and other community-led creative workshops for local residents and visitors.
• Wellbeing Sessions Weekly activities including yoga, crafting, woodwork, acupuncture, pilates, sound bath and massage sessions available to socially-prescribed patients and the general public at The Canvas wellbeing studio.
• Gallery Exhibitions Rotating visual art exhibitions featuring local and emerging artists across The Gallery Cafe and Chapel spaces, with open call submissions and curated shows available for public viewing.
• Social Prescribing Services Connects people referred by GPs, NHS Primary Care Networks, Link Workers and Community Connectors in Tower Hamlets to free or reduced-cost arts and wellbeing activities as part of a holistic, person-centred approach to health. Includes weekly wellbeing activities for socially-prescribed patients.
• The Garden (Biodiverse Outdoor Venue) Award-winning biodiverse garden including the RHS gold medal-winning Talitha Arts Garden, with step-free access, chrysalis sculpture and outdoor event hosting capabilities. Open to the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 523+ beneficiaries from Thriving Communities programme, 421 sessions delivered, 53% from Global Majority Communities, 55% with disabilities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Talitha ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership based on shared ethos of creative arts for social change and mental wellbeing. Talitha Arts Garden (RHS gold medal winning) relocated to SMH garden.
• Thriving Communities Programme PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with Tower Hamlets Social Prescribing Service and arts partners (Spare Tyre, London Arts and Health, Fevered Sleep, Outside Edge, Social Action for Health) to deliver 421 sessions of culture activities. Supported by Arts Council England, Historic England, Natural England, NHS England, Sport England, and others.
• Greater London Authority (GLA) Culture TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned SMH to explore Creative Health and Wellbeing Zones pilot - hyperlocal centres connecting cultural social prescribing with health sector.
• Primary Care Networks in Tower HamletscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with GPs, Link Workers and Community Connectors to provide weekly wellbeing activities to socially-prescribed patients.
• London Arts and HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with LAH from 2023-2028 as part of ACE funding to support organisations building Creative Health networks in Newham and Barking and Dagenham.
• Tower Hamlets CVScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to establish Tower Hamlets Creative Health Forum and Neighbourhood Forums pilot with Social Action for Health, Women's Inclusive Team, and Somali Senior Citizens Club.
• The Royal Foundation of St. KatharineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership hosting monthly Repair Cafe across Tower Hamlets.
• Poplar UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership hosting monthly Repair Cafe across Tower Hamlets.
• City and East London Bereavement ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver monthly Grief Cafe for people to come together.
• Queen Mary University of LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on 'Healthy Speculations' research examining how creative participatory practice can inform and shape health research.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bishopsgate Institute: Independent cultural and learning charity in central London offering arts, wellbeing, talks and venue hire from a heritage building - structurally similar charitable community hub model.
• South London Gallery: London gallery with adjacent cafe, education and community outreach programmes; operates social prescribing and family creative health initiatives comparable to SMH's Creative Health Tree approach.
• The Albany, Deptford: Community arts centre in South East London delivering creative health, social prescribing-style programmes, workshops and venue hire; similar charity-led multi-service model.
• Oxford House: Sister settlement to St Margaret's House in Bethnal Green, providing affordable workspace to charities, arts programming, and community activities from a Grade II listed Victorian building.
• Toynbee Hall: East End settlement house founded 1884 as part of the same Settlement Movement; operates arts, wellbeing and community programmes from a historic Whitechapel building with similar multi-revenue charity model.
• The Tabernacle, Notting Hill: Community arts venue and performance space with cafe, gallery, and programmes targeted at local residents - comparable multi-revenue creative hub model in a London borough.
• Rich Mix: East London arts and cultural charity in Tower Hamlets/Shoreditch offering creative programmes, exhibitions, performances and community events from a multi-space venue.

Regional players

• Centre for Arts and Wellbeing (alternative providers in Tower Hamlets): Tower Ham arts partnership coordinating creative health and wellbeing activity across the borough; partially overlapping with SMH's Creative Health Forum and social prescribing work.
• Idea Store (Tower Hamlets Council): Tower Hamlets Council's network of community hubs combining library, learning, wellbeing and creative activity; operates in the same borough and shares the same resident base as St Margaret's House.

Others

• People's Health Trust / Locality (sector infrastructure): UK-wide membership body supporting community-led organisations with health, wellbeing and place-based missions; thematic peer providing sector infrastructure relevant to SMH's model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ayokacharityshop
• Facebookfacebook.com/stmargaretshouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/611746

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries5 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 St Margaret's House Settlement