Never Alone LDN. We’re encouraging young people to come together and share messages of hope through a range of film screenings, live music performances, creative workshops, and panel discussions.

The activities provide an opportunity for young people to highlight positive individual and collective stories that show how young Londoners are coming together and collectivising as London begins to recover from the pandemic. The festival programme will see four separate free-to-attend events held at Rich Mix:

• Monday, 27 September 4pm: Never Alone LDN: Hear It – featuring some of London’s best young spoken word performers, poets and musicians.
• Monday, 4 October 12.30pm: Never Alone LDN: Speak It – featuring panel discussions, speeches, in conversations, workshops and more.
• Monday, 4 October 7pm: Never Alone LDN: Express It – a filmed open mic event, giving talented young Londoners a chance to perform on stage.
• Sunday, 10 October 3.30pm: Never Alone LDN: See It – a film screening that brings together performances, panels discussions and conversations filmed over the series of Never Alone LDN events, to celebrate World Mental Health Day.

Never Alone LDN: Hear It will feature a collection of spoken word, poetry and live music performances in front of a live audience. The line-up includes 10 young artists such as Woodzy, a Flo Poet who has reached close to a million views of his 90’s Baby poem; Sunny Day, who has previously performed at venues such as The Roundhouse and Ace Hotel; and Meron T, who this summer featured on Spotify’s Just Dropped playlist.

The second event, Never Alone LDN: Speak It welcomes bestselling author and culture journalist, Otegha Uwagba; award-winning social entrepreneur and youth leader, Amani Simpson; multi-award-winning international speaker, author and change agent, Hayley Mulenda; and and Grime MC Laughta, who featured in BBC Three’s, Galdem Sugar. Together they will support across a range of live panel discussions and conversations, exploring experiences of loss and loneliness faced throughout the pandemic. As well as wider issues that have negatively impacted wellbeing, such as loss of opportunities, discrimination and the impact of climate change.