A Royal Honour: Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh Visits C-Change West London and Heston West Big Local

Credit: Mark Cuthbert / Getty Images

On Monday 18th November 2024, we were honoured to welcome Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, to our Thriving Communities Fund project, Empowerment Creative Wellbeing. The visit highlighted our impactful initiatives, run by C-Change West London and Heston West Big Local, alongside legacy projects such as Elevate Community Productions and Creative Spaces London.

Thriving Communities Fund is a Hounslow Council initiative that provides grants to support charities, community and voluntary groups, and local residents in the London Borough of Hounslow to foster cohesive, resilient, and inclusive communities. The fund offers various types of grants, including Small Grants, Revenue Grants, and Your Neighbourhood Grants, to address local needs and support projects aimed at improving health and wellbeing, household resilience, and community infrastructure. To learn more about TCF, please click here.

The Duchess was greeted at Cranford Community College, where the event was hosted, with the visit proposed by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London. She was welcomed by several distinguished guests, including the Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor Karen Smith; MP for Feltham and Heston, Seema Malhotra; Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Hillingdon, Manju Malhi BEM; and Rosie Prescott, Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Hounslow, who organised the visit.

C-Change West London’s CEO, Taz Virdee, who has overseen the Heston West Big Local programme for over 9 years, and Alan Fraser, Chair of the charity and Deputy Head at Cranford Community College, also warmly received the Duchess.​

​Credit: Mark Cuthbert / Getty Images

​Credit: Mark Cuthbert / Getty Images

The visit showcased our diverse range of community projects, including the Ukraine film project, "Unbroken Cities," in partnership with One World Strong Foundation. Ukrainian students shared their experiences and premiered their heartfelt short film, which left a lasting impression on all present.

​Credit: Mark Cuthbert / Getty Images

​The Duchess engaged with several programme leaders and participants. This included Rachel Doherty, Director of Creative Spaces London, Blaise Singh, CEO of Elevate Community Productions, and Debbie Noad, Chair of Heston West Big Local.

Former programme participants Juhi Kumra and Megha Dahdrai, now running HAF and creative initiatives after starting as young participants, also had the chance to discuss their journeys and achievements with the Duchess. 

The event marked our first-ever royal visit, a truly momentous occasion. We are incredibly grateful to Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, for taking the time to recognise and celebrate the incredible community work being done in Heston West. Her visit not only inspired our young participants but also brought widespread attention to the collaborative and inclusive spirit of the programmes we have built over the last decade.

A big thanks to the London Borough of Hounslow for supporting our local community in North Hyde and North Cranford through the Thriving Communities Fund programme.