Home > Hub article > Local Social Activities
Local Social Activities
Updated: 08/04/25
Created: 24/04/2023, Bright Futures @Ruils
Who by? Parents, local organisations
Why might it be of interest?
We’re not providing information on the individual activities, rather the name and contact details of the organisations with a brief note of what they provide. We’ve done it like this as what an organisation provides can change and they are the best people to tell you about what they do.
There’s often a perception that there’s little in the way of social activities on offer for disabled young people – so if they’re not at college what are they going to do all day?
That is not actually true! It might take a bit of trial and error to find something your young person enjoys but there are options. You may need to trawl through several of these organisations before finding something with potential.
Something I come across quite often is parents feeling that what’s available won’t suit their young person, that the people attending the activities are the wrong profile for their young person. And that might be true. What I would say is start with the activity – is this something that your young person might enjoy? If the answer is yes then don’t worry initially about the profile of the people attending – get your young person along and then assess whether it has potential or not (OK, I know, easier said than done).
The worst that can happen is that your young person won’t go again. The alternative is that they might enjoy the activity enough that even if the other people aren’t quite how they (or you) see themselves they enjoyed the activity enough that they might just go again.
The profile of attendees at most activities is mixed and I appreciate that this does make finding the right activity more challenging, but the risk with overthinking each possible option is that the young person doesn’t join in with anything and ends up very isolated.
Activity Station
https://www.activitystation.org.uk/
Activities on occasional weekends, about every 4-5 weeks
Booking required and young people need to be accompanied
Activities include music, dance, drama, cooking
TAG young adults club
https://www.tagyouthclub.org/what-we-do
Mondays, 8pm to 10pm
Whitton Youth Zone
Park Lane Stables
https://www.parklanestables.co.uk/
Adult riding and horse care sessions on Wednesdays 2pm to 4pm
They also need volunteers
Otakar Kraus
Music therapy, choir, music lessons
Our Barn
https://www.ourbarn.org.uk/what-we-do/
Various activities for young adults – gardening, youth club, sports
Pump and Grind coffee shop at the London Museum of Water & Steam
Swimming with Teddington Torpedoes
Wendy Dorgan: 07905 556283
People Hive
https://www.thepeoplehive.org/client-activities-upcoming
A programme of lots of different types of activities:
Walks, relaxation, pub nights, Kew gardens, museum visits
- Cabbage Patch pub night
A regular Monday night, 6pm to 11pm, event facilitated the People Hive and the Cabbage Patch pub in Twickenham for people with additional needs
RISE
Sports activities for adults with additional needs
RHACC
https://www.rhacc.ac.uk/schools/supported-learning
Short and long term courses for people with additional needs
This takes you to the supported learning page on the RHACC website and lists the upcoming courses and contact details
Ruils Activities
https://www.ruils.co.uk/our-services/activities/
We run a number of activity groups from arts and crafts, walks, bowls club, creative writing across the week.
Choice Support
https://www.choicesupport.org.uk/find-support/find-support-near-you/richmond-wandsworth
Helping to support people with autism, learning disabilities, mental health needs, physical disabilities and sensory impairments to gain and keep paid employment.
Hounslow Urban Farm
https://hounslowurbanfarm.co.uk/
Daily activities and events involving animals
Middlesex Association for the Blind
https://aftb.org.uk/home-visiting/
They offer various services but I thought that this one might be a good place to start as they will visit you at home to look at how they can support independence
Richmond Mencap
https://richmondmencap.org.uk/
They have a few options:
- Something to say – performing arts
https://richmondmencap.org.uk/whatwedo/whatwedo/something-say/
- Wii and Pizza club – play games and eat pizza!
https://richmondmencap.org.uk/whatwedo/whatwedo/wii-pizza/
Crossways Centre, 306 Richmond Road, Twickenham, TW1 2PD
Contact office@richmondmencap.org.uk
Phone 020 8744 1923
- Holiday Opportunities Programme – runs during the school summer holidays. This link is to the 2022 programme – just fyi
https://richmondmencap.org.uk/whatwedo/whatwedo/hop/
Bubble Club
Bubble Club is an inclusive club night for people both with and without learning disabilities. It is a public event and everybody (18+) is welcome. Tickets are £10 with free entry for support workers
Location: 93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL
Events are advertised on the website with booking via Eventbrite
Pryzm, Kingston
Disco night for disabled adults
Held every few weeks / couple of months
Usually starts at 7pm and finishes at 11pm
18+, any SEN/disability/wheelchair accessible
£5 per ticket and carer goes free, pay on the door or book on the website:
https://pryzm.co.uk/kingston/discobility/
You can find a list of upcoming events with dates and ticket booking on this link
Lighthouse Project
https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/young-people/information-and-advice/the-lighthouse-project
This is a group for young people with neurodiversity aged 11 to 24 years old. Based at Heatham House, we have the use of all the amazing facilities from outdoor sports areas to art rooms and video games. Each week we play team games and often get our heads stuck into group art projects and more. The Lighthouse Project is a wonderful safe space for socialising with like-minded young people and gaining advice from youth workers.
This is a closed group so please contact Meg below before attending.
For more information please contact:
Meg Scott, Lead Youth Worker
T: 020 8288 0950
M: 07902 709906
E: meg.scott@achievingforchildren.org.uk
United Response
https://www.unitedresponse.org.uk/support-area/richmond-kingston/
UR run a regular programme of activities. Contact The Enterprise:
T: 020 3727 0601
Richmond Aid
https://richmondaid.org.uk/peer-network-project/
There’s a link on this page to the current calendar of events, day by day, and a description of what the events involve.
Action on Disability
https://aod.org.uk/youth-services/
AoD run a youth service for disabled young people aged 11-25. The youth club runs on Thursdays early evening; there are holiday activities, movement sessions and a drama club.
Turtle Key Arts
https://www.turtlekeyarts.org.uk/turtle-key-projects
Turtle Key Arts run a number of projects which include disabled people. These include dance, music, drama and art – aimed at young people on the autism spectrum.
Keen to go
Events and activities for young people on the autism spectrum or with learning disabilities. You might want to get in touch via email or phone to find out more as when you click on the Richmond booking page you just get a list of the events you can book with little description of what’s actually involved, profile or age of young person.
- 07500 006472
- robbie@keen2go.org
Gunnersbury Park
https://www.visitgunnersbury.org/plan-your-visit/admission-information/
The park is open every day until dusk and has been recommended by other parents – it has a lake!
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4.30pm. It hosts exhibitions as well as ongoing collections, including a historic kitchen.
https://www.visitgunnersbury.org/museum/
Entry to park and museum is free
Peer Productions
https://www.peerproductions.co.uk/peer-empowerment-pathway
The Peer’s Empowerment Pathway (PEP) is a programme for young adults with SEND who share our passion for and interest in performing arts.
Based in Woking
Balance (Support) CIO
https://balancesupport.org.uk/home
18-25 outreach service supporting disabled young people with social care support, structured activities, counselling
The Stud Nursery and community garden, Bushy Park
Brentford FC
https://www.brentfordfccst.com/en/specialist-support
No details here but this page talks about projects they run for disabled children and adults to enable them to participate in sporting activities
Café Mahaba
https://www.mahabacafe.org/about-us
A social enterprise that creates a safe and inclusive space for young people with learning difficulties & autism to learn and grow.
Based in Ealing
Achieving for Children – Activities and clubs 18+
This is a link to the AfC local offer page for activities for young people 18+. It lists the activity type, age, general location, when, disability information and a link to the provider
Speak Out, Hounslow
https://www.speakoutinhounslow.org/
Speak Out work with people with learning disabilities and autism in LB Hounslow.
They can offer advice, run campaigns and offer social activities. Click the link under ‘Express Yourself’ to find out what activities are on and when: https://www.speakoutinhounslow.org/projects/
Dramatize
https://www.dramatize.co.uk/about
Activities based in Woking, Ashford, Shepperton
- Evening theatrical clubs
- Employment and Life Skills programme
- Tearooms – to enable adults with learning disabilities to gain work experience skills
- Daycare – supporting independence, health and wellbeing, social development
Impact Theatre, Perivale
A charity which works with people with learning disabilities in the West London area through performing and creative arts.
Run from Impact Community Arts Centre
Day Care, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm
PHAB Club
https://www.phab.org.uk/about-us/
A club for disabled and non-disabled people to socialise together
Locally, there are clubs in Hounslow and Isleworth
Isleworth Explorers Club
Transitions Project on Wednesday evenings 6.30pm to 8.30pm for 14-24 year olds to support friendships, independence and confidence building.
Autism Hounslow
https://www.autismhounslow.org/
Social events for adults with autism
Ealing Mencap
https://www.ealingmencap.org.uk/help-services/adult-activities-and-care/activities-for-adults/
Daily activities from 8am to 2pm and from 2pm to 8pm
Arts, sport, cooking, community outings, exercise
Richmond Furniture Scheme
https://www.rfsonline.co.uk/volunteering/
RFS relies a lot on volunteers to serve customers, support with admin, fixing, painting and upholstering furniture.
Café Sunshine
https://www.richmond.gov.uk/cafe_sunshine
Local café run by people with learning disabilities
Love4Life
Love4Life is a friendship and dating network for people with learning disabilities and autism – organising workshops and social events that help you make friends and build relationships in a relaxed atmosphere.
RSPB Nature Walks
https://group.rspb.org.uk/richmond/news-blogs/news/nature-walks-for-wellbeing/
Contact Debbie Williams at debbiewilliams10@aol.com
The local group offers local short, slow paced, small group walks for people who would like to feel more connected to nature and to enjoy being in the outdoors. During the walks there will be time to look for birds, listen to birdsong, and just enjoy feeling closer to nature. The walks are free to attend and last for about an hour. The walks are suitable for people over the age of 18. We try to find accessible routes with places to rest but please check with us if you have particular needs.
Categories: Social & Personal, Social Activities
Tags: clubs, social activities