Rushey Green, London

Rushey Green TimeBank

Problem

Lack of cash, jobs, or formal credentials leaves many residents idle or isolated—even when they have skills and a willingness to help.

Solution

Rushey Green Time Bank was piloted by the New Economics Foundation at the Rushey Green Group Practice, a GP surgery in Catford, south-east London, launched March 2000 after GP Richard Byng proposed it; by late 2001 it had 59 individual and 9 organisational members and doctors referred patients to it. It incorporated as a company in 2003 and is registered charity 1101616; it later grew into the borough's voluntary-sector support body and the company was renamed Lewisham Local in 2022, with the time bank now run as a Lewisham Local project from Lewisham High Street rather than the surgery.

Patterns used: Social Timebank

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