Telegraph Hill Centre (http://thcentre.com) is self-funded venue, it receives no funding from local…read moreauthorities. As such, every penny Telegraph Hill Centre makes from hire charges, goes back into maintaining and improving the building. I've hosted five events at the Centre and each time have received a great deal of practical help and advice from its team. Telegraph Hill Centre has a large main hall with a raised stage. There is also a proper kitchen tucked away to one side of the main hall which could be used to serve food and drinks. Its a great space for a theatrical event, a party, or a music gig and can accomodate up to 200 people standing, 100 seated, or up to 60 if you're opting for 'cabaret' style seating around tables (this comes from practical experience from hosting events there). The second largest space at Telegraph Hill Centre is known as 'The Lounge', this offers a flexible rectangular space to accomodate an event for up to 40 people standing or around 25 seated. This also has a screened off food serving/bar space with sinks, hot water and the like. The Centre has spaces available to hire from as little as £10 an hour. Though most spaces are fairly bare, they can be dressed up with a little imagination the bareness offers a blank template to work from I guess. There are ladies and gents toilets as well as a disabled loo which is wheelchair accessible. You can access the building on the level so for those with mobility problems, access is possible. Telegraph Hill Centre will soon be refurbished so I imagine things will only get better. The 3 stars are because I think a refurb is needed, and would take it to a 4 star venue easily. I gather there are plans to install a lift so that the upper floors can be made more accessible. There are 2 members of staff who can help and they are usually contactable between 10.30am and 2pm. Details of the venue, what goes on there and how to contact them are availble from the Telegraph Hill Centre website http://thcentre.com

This is a really nice little charity shop, all the money goes locally to people with mental health…read moreissues, there's a gigantic ginger cat that seems to love loafing around everywhere in the shop, the staff are exceptionally nice friendly and helpful and stuff is much cheaper than the charity shops on the main drag in Camden, so if charity shops are your thing, this is the place to come....

Clothing, bric a brac, books, records, cds, videos. Belts, ties, handbags, shoes 10-4.45 mon-fri…read more Big radius of clientele - well known in London. There are many branches of the mind shop and their all fab! Staff are friendly and helpful. There is a real homely feel in the shop and you can pick up few antique pieces. You can also donate any unwanted items you have at home or donate financiallyafterm all it is for charity:D

Besides it being a great cause and selling gems of clothing, I had to complain…read more The times I had gone there, it was bit full because of how small the local is and there was a bit of frustration from the service side. However, I don't know if I caught someone in a bad mood or 5 minutes before closing, but when I went to drop off clothing to the good cause, I was greeted with a scowl, a door slam and not even a thank you. Absolutely terrible, it also made me want to take back what I had given away and give it to another charity like the Cancer Research UK up the street. I should have if had I not been in shock from the rudest encounter I have ever experienced in the least likely place, a charity shop. It doesn't matter where you work, but customer service is customer service.

A recent tour of the Islington charity shop scene was quite revealing. While the smaller shops on…read moreEssex road and Caledonian road were interesting, the cloithing all seemed to lean to a more elderly customer. Even the Oxfam in Angel was not pleasing. Marie Curie, however, perhaps due to its size, has more than the average charity shop. The ornaments shelf, as someone else mentioned, is a treasure trove. Great place for cheap photo frames, and the books shelf is packed tight. I bought a very nice, young T shirt, perfect size, for £2. Now, you have to be happy with that don't you?!

The Shooting Star Trust runs a hospice in Hampton for 'life limited' children. Since before it was…read morebuilt, and through to the present day, they have run charity shops throughout the area, first to raise money to build the facility, and now to help run it. This one is right next to the Tesco Express, and right near the bus stop (R70, 285 and R68). This is a nice little charity shop with friendly staff, though with a few unfriendly signs (telling punters they don't bargain on price, amongst others). The shop window is attractively laid out, though the interior is a bit higgledy-piggledy - not quite as tidy as Oxfam or Princess Alice shops tend to be. There is a mix of clothes, a few books and videos and knick knacks - it's not a big shop, so you won't necessarily be browsing for long (and it's near a couple more charity shops - Hampton Hill High Street has more than its fair share), but you may well find a bargain. I've donated as well as bought, and the staff always seem pleased to receive your cast offs. This is a worthy charity, and a better breed of charity shop.

I must have walked past the Hosue of St Barnabas countless times without ever bothering to stop and…read moreread the plaque next to the imposing entrance door. This opens as by magic upon pulling the old-fashioned bell. I love being invited to private members clubs! This one actually feels not that dissimilar to other Soho town house clubs nearby - what makes The House of St Barnabas stand out is that it is a charity for homeless people rather than a money-spinner for property developers. The interior is quite dark and very comfortable, I would have liked more time to explore more of the rooms. Excellent setting for a daytime meeting, plus the now ubiquitous collection of lone workers and their MacBooks. The club hosts a series of interesting sounding cultural events - with a bit of luck I hope to be invited back for one of those.

Great place So…read morebizarre : a hostel for homeless women becomes a nightclub for Hooray Henries! They say they give 50% to the Charity Lovely inside,an old church is part of the premises. Really worth a visit, even if you cannot afford or want membership! I should say the staff are the best anywhere .

A wonderful community play centre for local parents and under fours/fives. No registration just…read moreshow up. Ivy Centre operates from 54 Ivy Street, just off Hoxton High Street. They have messy days, cafe days and a kind staff headed by the wonderful Angela. The space can be let for events and children's parties as well.

The St Lukes Parochial Trust has opened a rather incredible community centre in Central Street…read more Totally renovated the building houses a mixture of meeting rooms and community facilities over 3 floors. We end up here every week as te youngest daughter goes to Guides here on a Thursday evening and the place is always a hub of activity. Facilities include a public access computer suite for people to access internet, do homework, or find jobs, an amazing community cookery school to learn life skills; numerous activity and social spaces for older people, and meeting facilities for local groups. Despite all the wealth in Clerkenwell the Ward of Bunhill is actually within the bottom 10% of the most deprived wards in England and Wales. The classic inner city issues of unemployment, poor housing and health are to the fore nestling next to the bright and shiny office buildings. This centre seeks to support the community they serve and I commend themn for that... Friendly and welcoming - every neighbourhood should have a community centre like this.

The open space to dance is great but they have too many silent rehearsals when no performances are…read moregoing on. We were dancing with music and security told us not to, so we turned our music off. But then security couldn't tell off a guy that is disturbing other people and started shouting at us for no reason! Disgusting

Such a great space and particularly versatile. It's free to wander into and they often have lots…read moregoing on, particularly art exhibitions and music concerts. Many are free which is just brilliant and really allows everyone to experience the arts. There's also a bar, cafe and shop. I visited on this occasion for the World Press Photographer exhibition. The space was well organised for this although it did get crowded by the actual exhibition boards (probably as it was Sunday afternoon the first weekend it was open). There was a lot of space around it though if you wanted to get out of the crowds for a moment. The area is a hive of activity and it's ideal to visit when planning a whole day out as it's close to numerous restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, exhibition space, the river and the South Bank for a stroll. It's worth keeping an eye on what they have going on in the centre. I've been to free jazz concerts, photography exhibitions and just for a drink and catch up with a friend.