16.10.2026
On Tuesday 13th October, The Kiln in Kilburn was filled with poetry, magic, music and laughter for Ashford Place’s Mental Health Arts and Music Festival. As someone new to Ashford Place having joined the team less than a month ago, I’d heard it was one of the highlights of the year, and by the end of the afternoon I understood why.
The programme ran from lunchtime until late afternoon and was wonderfully varied with something for everyone. Winnie Ama and the Ashford Place Wellbeing Singers were among my favourite moments, as well as the performance by service user Michelle , which had the whole theatre singing along. The magic stunned us all and left me scratching my head. Finally, Karen Ryan and her band closed the festival perfectly with some traditional Irish music which had us attempting some Irish dancing at the back. Alongside the performances there were talks on mental health and the part that art can play in recovery.
What stayed with me most was the atmosphere. People performed, listened, chatted over tea and cheered one another on, and it reminded me of the impact that a welcoming community can have and the encouragement it can bring. The warmth lasted right up to the end, with many guests telling us they’d had a ‘wonderful time’, ‘enjoyed every minute’ and ‘would love to come again’.
Thank you to everyone who performed, everyone at Ashford Place who worked so hard behind the scenes and everyone who came along. I’m already looking forward to the next one.