11 April 2026

Elvio is the manager of South West London Recovery Cafe in Tooting. The service supports adults across the borough who are living with mental health needs, helping them build confidence, independence, and stability in their daily lives.

For Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, we took the chance to chat with Elvio about the Recovery Cafe and the support they offer to service users in southwest London. 

What kind of support can someone expect when they walk through your doors?

"Everyone is offered a warm welcome by a member of staff. A new service user will be introduced to the different areas and spaces in our cafe and given an overview of what we can offer. Everyone will be offered a chat with a member of staff in a confidential area - this is a chance to discuss why they've come through our door, and how we can help"."

"We offer mental health and emotional support in a non-judgemental and relaxed environment"

Who does your service support and how can people access support? 

"We offer mental health and emotional support in a non-judgemental and relaxed environment. There is 1:1, peer support and group activities, access to quiet spaces and a main café area with food and drink. We also help to link people up with other sources of support. People can simply turn up during our opening hours, there is no need for a referral. Potential Service Users may also ring the service during our opening hours".

What part of your role do you find most rewarding? 

"I'm driven by getting the best outcomes for our service users. It means a huge amount whenever I hear or see written feedback from service users expressing the difference our support has made".

What changes do you see in people who use the service? 

"It's different for different people. It's great to see people become more independent, connected, and resilient!"

"Its vital that people are given empathy, care and understanding"

What do you wish more people understood about mental health and mental health support?

"Mental health challenges can impact anyone. Its vital that people are given empathy, care and understanding".

What helps you look after your own mental health?

"Try to maintain a routine of healthy habits - sleeping well, eating a healthy and balanced diet, engage in regular exercise.

Also balance matters. Try to stay focussed on work, tasks, and objectives, but also take the time to switch off and re-charge."

"Make time for self-care. Be kind to yourself because you matter"

What advice would you give to someone struggling with their mental health right now? 

"It's often about perspective. Consider the bigger picture, your options, and alternative ways of making sense of your situation. 

Make time for self-care. Be kind to yourself because you matter. 

Maintain hope, things rarely stay the same. Start with small steps and build up gradually".