The Centre

The Lambeth Elderly Association from Vietnam (LEAV) is a small organisation supporting over 300 older Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese residents of Lambeth and surrounding boroughs. LEAV was founded in 1986 to provide support to the recently arrived refugees from Vietnam, better known internationally as the “boat people”.

The aim of the centre is to work to enhance the quality of life of older local Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese  former refugees by offering them opportunities to reduce their isolation, improve their wellbeing and physical health develop their confidence  and  skills and access advice and language interpretation.

To this end, the centre offers many services to its users including cultural events, such as Lion Dancing, social and health-oriented events, including Tai Chi, yoga, dancing and acupuncture sessions, and regular Vietnamese and Cantonese-language advice and information sessions on welfare, finance and health.

Service offered (these are the services offered by the centre though there will be some periods when some of these services are temporarily not on offer):

• Lunch club
• Cultural activities such as celebrations of Chinese and Vietnamese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival
• Overseas trips
• Advice and information on welfare benefits
• Translation and interpreting services
• Befriending and home visits
• Dance and exercise classes, including Tai  Chi and yoga
• Complementary therapies, including reflexology, shiatsu and acupuncture
• Health talks

Target group:

Older people from the Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese  communities.

Area served:

London Borough of Lambeth for advice and information, other London boroughs as well for social activities.

How to contact:

Phone, email, drop-in or contact for an appointment.