History

SMART was registered as a charity in September 1985 to relieve persons who are suffering from any form of mental illness, particularly by the provision of suitable employment opportunities for such persons.

We moved to 15 Gertrude Street in 1993 and since then our services have been developed in partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (our main funders), other service providers and you, our members. As a registered charity we are always fundraising so that we can constantly improve the opportunities we offer.

SMART works closely with the providers of statutory services, such as local community mental health teams and day services to develop a more holistic approach to support people with mental health needs.

Our Values

The people at SMART are a democratic bunch so we all sat down together some time ago and decided what our ‘core values’ would be. These are the things we believe in, that underpin everything we do. In the end we decided to base them on the Institute For Compassion and Wisdom‚ 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life:

We try to think with . . .

•Humility
•Patience
•Contentment
•Delight



We try to act with . . .

•Kindness
•Honesty
•Generosity
•Right Speech



We try to relate to others with . . .

•Respect
•Forgiveness
•Gratitude
•Loyalty



We try to find meaning with . . .

•Aspiration
•Principles
•Service
•Courage



We also believe in good cake with good coffee; flossing our teeth regularly; trying to deal with life’s ups and down with good humour; and that listening to/playing music at least once a week is good for your health.

You do not have to share our beliefs but we do ask that you respect them when you visit us.