About Xenia

Why Xenia is needed

The UK has an ever-growing migrant population. The number of people seeking asylum here increased by 63% between 2011 and 2015 and 2015 alone the UK received over 30,000 asylum applications from countries where English is not an official language. However, proficiency in English is a vital tool for navigating everyday life in the UK. Without a secure knowledge of English even simple everyday tasks can become a struggle, and research has shown that migrant women often face greater barriers to accessing English classes than others.

At Xenia, we are providing a much-needed safe space for women of all backgrounds to support and befriend each other.

Xenia brings together women from different backgrounds to connect, share and learn. In particular we welcome women learning English to participate alongside women who speak fluent English, using Xenia sessions as a time to connect with people you wouldn’t otherwise meet and learn about each other’s perspectives through friendship and shared learning. We are based at various heritage venues, arts centres and museums, using the objects and stories from our shared history to help us connect with each other and the history of our area.

Our approach

Xenia makes learning English and connecting with other women accessible to everyone. We create a warm, nurturing and welcoming space because we believe that people, especially those who usually face barriers to education, learn better when they are relaxed. We talk about topics that matter to the women who attend our workshops in a way that everyone can participate, regardless of English language level. Topics in the past have included civic engagement, health, migration, emotions, women’s rights, films, heritage and many many others.

How we organise

Xenia is run non-hierarchically by a group of women who are passionate about connecting and supporting other women.

Xenia’s organising team is made up of participants and staff who organise together to run workshops each week- the majority give their time for free. Additionally a small team of part time staff support the organising and administration of the charity. Participants voices are at the centre of what we do, we seek to listen and adapt continuously.

Xenia’s trustee board take their lead from the organising team, and are legally and financially responsible for the organisaiton.

Our partners, supporters and funders

  • Hackney Museum

  • Network for social change

  • Hackney Council

  • Greater London Authority

  • Groundwork

  • New Unity

  • Comic Relief

  • Merchant Taylors' Foundation

  • Maingot Trust

  • Another Way Women's Foundation

  • City Bridge Trust

Xenia’s story so far

Xenia was set up by and for women in Hackney who wanted to meet others and make Hackney a welcoming place to live & learn in.

Xenia began in 2016 as part of the first AntiUniversity Now Festival at Hackney Museum. Founder Theo Cadbury wanted to run a  workshop to help women from all backgrounds and cultures come together to connect, share experiences and practice English. Expecting a small group of women to join, Theo was welcomed by a room full of women, who by the end were eager to know when the next Xenia event would be! What started as an experiment, quickly developed from monthly to weekly workshops, run by a small group of local women who volunteered their time to set Xenia up. Our workshops became more elaborate and began to include partnerships with other arts and heritage groups as we developed our programme. In the early days, and still now, there have been many local organisations and people advocating for us and whose tireless support we have benefitted from hugely. The women who came to Xenia and those who organised it were from all over the world- so the experience has always been rich with learning from very diverse viewpoints. In 2020, the voluntary group set up a registered charity, appointed a board of Trustees and hired the small staff team.

Now each week we welcome regulars and new faces, with women attending from over 86 countries. As well as strong relationships built within the group, Xenia has built many links in the local community.  We are still largely run by volunteers and organise in a non hierarchal way that places participants views in the centre.