Caritas St Joseph’s Lifelong Learning Centre
With around 200 students of all faiths and none at our centre in Hendon, we celebrate the gifts and talents of people with intellectual disabilities and value their place in the world. We strive to create an environment where students can find friendship, family and love.
Students at Caritas St Joseph’s can choose from a range of life-enhancing courses, including stretching, arts and crafts, cookery, and music and movement.
Classes are also held at four Connect@ hubs in Hounslow, Feltham, North Harrow and Whitton.
To find out more, please phone 020 8202 3999 or email enquiries@stjoseph.org.uk
Autumn Term 2025
First Half: Monday 8th September – Friday 24th October
Half Term: Monday 27th October – Friday 31st October
Second Half: Monday 3rd October – Friday 19th December
Spring Term 2026
First Half: Monday 5th January – Friday 13th February
Half Term: Monday 16th February – Friday 20th February
Second Half: Monday 23rd February – Friday 27th April
Summer Term 2026
First Half: Monday 13th April – Friday 22nd May
Bank Holiday: Monday 4th May
Half Term: Monday 25th May – Friday 29th May
Second Half: Monday 1st June – Friday 17th July
Click here to see the full list of courses or select a course to find out more.
| Internet Cafe Plus | 9.30 – 12.30 | £10 per hour |
| St Joseph’s Dance Studio | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Musical Showtime | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Our Ceramics | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Yoga | 10.45 – 12.15 | £25 |
| Our Ceramics Plus | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| My Screen Heroes | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Dance Steps | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Bocce | 14.00 – 16.00 | £15 |
| Experience Cooking | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| My Foundations | 10.30 – 12.30 | £46 |
| Creative Paper Recycling | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Voice Box | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Exploring Our World | 10.30 – 16.00 | £38 |
| Tai Chi – Chi Fung | 13.45 – 15.15 | £15 |
| Arts and Crafts | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Stage Right | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Skills for Life | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Internet Cafe Plus | 9.30 – 12.30 | £10 per hour |
| Our Horticulture | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Exploring My Artwork | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| St Joseph’s Drum Studio | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| My Fitness Routine | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Living and Giving | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Exploring Words and Numbers | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Music and Movement | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| My Pottery | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Soap Studio | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Book Club | 16.15 – 17.00 | FREE |
| Music and Recording | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Health and Fitness | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Stage in the Making | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| My Creative Accessories | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Dance PMLD | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Music and Recording | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| St Joseph’s Floral Enterprise | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Exploring Cookery | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Useful Numbers | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Enriching My Life | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| St Joseph’s Lunchbox | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Exploring Communication | 10.30 – 12.30 | £30 |
| Rhythm Factory | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| Exploring Dance | 10.30 – 12.30 | £25 |
| ‘Place to Grow’ Carpentry | 10.30 – 12.30 | £38 |
| St Joseph’s Drum Studio | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
| Our Enterprise Workshop | 14.00 – 16.00 | £25 |
The menu changes every week and runs from Monday to Thursday.
There is always a Vegetarian option available.
On Fridays, St Joseph’s Lunchbox make sandwiches which are available to buy.
Connect@Feltham
Our hub at the parish of St Lawrence in Feltham offers a full day of activites on Tuesdays for adults with intellectual disabilities. From 10.30 to 12.30 there is Connect through Cookery and from 2 to 4pm Connect through Drama.
For more info contact Laura
Connect@Hounslow
Our hub at the parish of St Michael and St Martin in Hounslow offers a full day of activites on Thursdays for adults with intellectual disabilities. From 10.30 to 12.30 there is Connect through Art and from 2 to 3pm Connect through Dance Class and from 3 to 4pm Dance for all.
For more info contact Laura
Caritas St Joseph’s Outreach
Our outreach work aims to integrate people with intellectual disabilities into their communities. We do this through our Saturday Clubs and Connect@ Hubs hosted by parishes across the diocese, which offer engaging activities for people with disabilities and support for their families.
We also offer general support to those with intellectual disabilities and their families/carers, for example advice about education or accessing benefits.
Programmes and Activities:
Family Groups allow parents and carers of people with learning disabilities to come together for mutual support.
Watford Family Group
What: A group is for parents and carers of those with learning disabilities.
When: Monthly
Contact: Veronika Dyckhoff, 07504104569
Ealing Abbey Family Group
What: A group is for parents and carers of those with learning disabilities.
When: Monthly, on the last Tuesday of the month
Contact: Phil Codrington, phillycodrington@hotmail.com
Hendon Family Forum at Caritas St Joseph’s
What: A discussion led by a guest speaker on current issues surrounding intellectual disability, open to all those interested in supporting those with intellectual disabilities, their families and carers.
When: Quarterly
Contact: Paul Christian, paulchristian@rcdow.or.uk
Saturday Clubs are inclusive spaces for people with intellectual disabilities, their families and friends.
Below you can finding information on Saturday Clubs currently running in the Diocese of Westminster. To find out more or volunteer, please contact Paul Christian at paulchristian@rcdow.org.uk.
North London
Palmer’s Green
St Monica’s Catholic Church
1 Stonard Road
N13 4DJ
Enfield
Our Lady of Walsingham and the English Martyrs
Holtwhites Hill
EN2 8HG
Whetstone
St Mary Magdalene Church
6 Athenaeum Road
N20 9AE
The Allotment Club in Enfield also meets monthly (third or fifth Saturday of the month, from the spring until October) to learn gardening skills and to grow their own produce.
Northwest London
Burnt Oak
Annunciation Church Hall
4 Thirleby Road
HA8 0HQ
Contact: Sue Masterson, 07855 038072
Outer West London
There is a Club running in the parish of Ealing Abbey currently online with in-person events and liturgies for Advent and Lent. It takes place on the last Tuesday of the month, 7pm-8pm
Contact: Phil Codrington, phillycodrington@hotmail.com
Symbols of Faith by Diana Klein is a resource for the faith formation and sacramental preparation of people with intellectual disabilities.
This book is aimed at parents, priests and catechists who wish to understand how to pass their faith on to individuals with intellectual difficulties, and how to help them to develop a relationship with God.
Catechists using the Symbols of Faith programme use a variety of resources to support those with learning disabilities. Music is used throughout the sessions, as is art, craft and making food. For example, a group at Westminster Cathedral, preparing for their First Holy Communion re-enacted the Feeding of the 5,000. They each helped prepare a different part of the meal and then shared their food together.
When preparing to make their First Reconciliation another group used symbols of things they might have done wrong but also, with symbols, emphasised the positive things that they had achieved during the past week.
Each session ends with visiting the Special Place, where there is an icon or Prayer focus where a short passage of scripture is read and a concise message given and shared.
We regularly hold training sessions for anyone – priests, catechists, parents – interested in using Symbols of Faith and supporting young people with intellectual disabilities to grow in their faith. Check our events page to see if there is a training course coming up, or email Paul Christian at paulchristian@rcdow.org.uk
Each copy is £15.95, which includes a CD with unlimited activity sheets and other resources.
To order your copy, please email Paul Christian at paulchristian@rcdow.org.uk or Finola Ryan at finolaryan@rcdow.org.uk