Barnet Mayor Councillor Alison Moore has described mental health charity Jami’s enlarged and revamped Head Room café in Golders Green as “a model we ought to be sharing”.

Cutting the ribbon at the reopened dining and support venue, Cllr Moore said that with mental health now high on the national agenda, Head Room’s expansion was timely, its “genuinely pioneering work” helping to remove the stigma around mental wellbeing issues.

Jami chief executive Laurie Rackind told guests how the charity, which relies on voluntary income, had transformed its operations in a relatively short timeframe while ensuring that everything created was sustainable.

A strategic review had committed to providing “more of our services from high street spaces.
“Hopefully we have maintained what we had before but in a more polished way.”

Director of services Louise Kermode added that in five years, events and attendances had almost doubled.

“People tell us they can come here and be as they are” and not feel judged. Offerings include a discussion group and a weekly art class.

As those at the informal event tucked into a generous savoury and sweet selection from the café’s menu, Mr Rackind told the JC: “It is hugely heartening that what was closed down in the pandemic — and what we were able to bring back after the pandemic — has been scaled up.

“We knew we could double the size [by taking over the adjoining premises]. But could we really scale up the soul of what was there? The last few weeks have proven that we can.”

Initial reaction had been strong, with users “really embracing it. For me, that’s what it’s about. Facilitating that mutually supportive community in a space people are really comfortable in.

“We are going to be able to do way more here than we ever did. We can separate space out for people who want to use it for different groups. And already, a lot of communal organisations are using the space. That’s exactly what we wanted to happen.”

For private hire, Head Room can accommodate 100 people for a sit-down simchah and has taken its first booking for a bar mitzvah celebration. The increased space will also enable the charity to set up new groups and there are plans for a community library.