High Street Heroes

High Street Heroes is an innovative and community-centred approach that will transform Peckham’s high street into a wellbeing network by training barbers, nail technicians, hairdressers, and off-license workers as Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA). These trusted community figures already act as informal counsellors and local pillars for thousands of residents. Therefore, we will equip them with the tools, confidence, and accreditation to recognise distress, listen effectively, and signpost people to professional help. We are requesting £50,000 to carry out this project.

The project will train 50 high street workers through accredited three-day MHFA courses, with paid training leave so small business owners can take part without financial loss. Businesses that complete full-team training will receive a marketing and digital transformation package, including branding, social-media skills, and access to other tech solutions. This ensures that supporting mental health also strengthens local business sustainability and visibility, incentivising more organisations to take up this training.

High Street Heroes will support:

• Elder-led business owners from African, Caribbean, Latin American and Asian backgrounds with high street premises.
• Children, Young People, Adults and Families from ethnically diverse communities who visit these shops daily and see them as trusted, culturally familiar spaces.
• Undocumented or marginalised residents who are often excluded from statutory services but feel safe in these informal spaces.
• Homeless people and those struggling with mental health challenges who frequent the local high streets and engage with high street workers on a daily basis.

By engaging this mix of communities, the project will reach people across cultural, generational, and socioeconomic lines, reflecting Peckham’s true diversity. We intend for our project to be piloted on Peckham High Street along Peckham Rye Lane, which is visited by thousands of people every day.

High Street Heroes will:

• Reduce stigma around mental health by embedding open, culturally sensitive conversations into everyday community spaces.
• Increase early intervention, as trained local figures learn to spot signs of distress and respond confidently.
• Boost economic resilience, giving small traders the digital and marketing tools to thrive.
• Strengthen neighbourhood cohesion, creating visible, trusted “High Street Heroes” who champion wellbeing for all.

We expect at least 500 residents to be positively impacted through direct conversations, referrals, and community engagement.

The £50,000 funding will cover training delivery, participant stipends, and marketing support for local businesses. It removes barriers for those unable to take unpaid leave and ensures equal access to quality training.

It will also facilitate ongoing group support sessions for all enrolled high street workers who have the option of taking part in quarterly meet ups to reflect on their experience as Key Mental Health workers and build connections with other business people in the area.

By combining mental health education with economic empowerment, High Street Heroes builds a sustainable model of community wellbeing, empowering small business owners to care for themselves, their staff, and their customers. National initiatives like EXTRA’s “Boss Breaks” and barber mental-health programmes have already shown how local businesses can drive wellbeing and connection.

High Street Heroes builds on that success through a locally led, culturally grounded approach. Working with MHFA-certified trainers, community networks, and local business associations, the project will deliver accredited training, meaningful partnerships, and measurable outcomes. Participants will leave with recognised qualifications, new skills, and renewed confidence, turning everyday high-street workers into true heroes of community wellbeing.

Project Proposal Link here