The Tottenham-based charity hosted its volunteer mentors at the incredible ‘Ginas Blooming Scent’ in the first Mentor Meet Up of the year.

By Omar Alleyne-Lawler, Mentoring, Communications and Police Engagement

Hope in Haringey’s cohort of volunteer mentors were invited to network, learn and collaborate at the Charity’s first Mentor Meet Up of 2026.

Taking place at Ginas Blooming Scent, seventeen mentors, mentor prospects and prospective volunteers gathered to celebrate the start of the year and the re-emergence of HiH’s Mentor Programme for 2026.

Built around the presence of HiH’s Mentor Trainer, John Brooker – mentors were treated to a keynote address that focused on the latest developments and successes in Solutions Focused Mentoring.

HiH Mentor Trainer, John Brooker reminding attendees of the virtues solutions focused mentoring celebrates.

Created as a technique that emphasises positive results by focusing on future goals and existing strengths rather than analysing past problems; John Brooker shared the story of how Solutions Focus has galvanized the Beehan Hill School in Suffolk to increase attendance and improve student mental health support.

In delivering this keynote, Mentors were given some perspective on both the constructive nature of being positive, but also how Solutions Focused mentoring is encouraged by those who receive it.

Yet a keynote address would not be the only update mentors would receive. The event was also used to announce that Mentoring has officially been restarted, this time under the guidance of HiH’s most experienced Manager, Omar Alleyne-Lawler. Currently leading the Tottenham-based charity’s Communications and Police Engagement programmes, Mentoring would now take precedence in his programme portfolio.

“Over the next three months, I want to deliver a turbo-charged mentoring strategy that sees HiH making pairings, delivering guest talks and recruiting Haringey’s young people again” he said.

Feedback on the event was unanimously positive, with Mentoring Trustee, Liz Morris calling the event an “exciting taster” of what is to come.