Celebrating Community Champions & the RJ4All Centre
About the event
This special event, free and open to anyone, marks the fifth anniversary of the RJ4All Rotherhithe Community Centre. It is an opportunity to celebrate lives of some people who supported the Centre and RJ4All, its journey. We will also come together to recognise the volunteers, families, partners, supporters and community members who have contributed to its growth and impact over the past five years.
Over the last five years, the Centre has become a welcoming space shaped by restorative justice, community spirit, care and a shared commitment to fairness, diversity, respect and dignity.
This free celebration is a thank-you to everyone who has been part of the journey. Whether you are a volunteer, supporter, partner, donor or friend of the Centre, this event is for you.
Date & Time
04:00 PM - 07:00 PM
28th May 2026
Location
The RJ4All Rotherhithe Community Centre
30 Plough Way SE16 2LJ
The event will start in:
"Community is where change begins. Restorative justice is most powerful when it is practised close to home: building trust between neighbours, strengthening community cohesion, and rebalancing power in ways that last. That is why, alongside our international programmes, national pilots and policy work, we remain committed to what we do here, at the grassroots, with and for this community."
What will be featured
Connect, Play and Have Fun
Have a go at sports, join a wellbeing circle, get digital support and meet our partners at the signposting stalls.
Five Years of Community Heroes
Celebrating the people who have shaped the Centre – from Elena Noel and Ben Lyon to the everyday community members whose contributions, large and small, have made it what it is today.
Forgiveness Panel: Discussion and Q&A
Join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion on forgiveness, featuring practitioners and experts exploring its role in restorative justice, healing and community relationships, followed by an interactive Q&A session.
A Special Afternoon for Young People (aged 8 to 18)
From 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm, we have designed a dedicated pre-celebration programme for young people. Activities include a youth cooking workshop, drawing, and doorstep sports including tennis and badminton in our courtyard. Young people are warmly welcome to stay for the Anniversary Event from 4pm onwards, but must be accompanied by a parent or carer. Young people joining the event will have the chance to receive 7 free entry tickets to attend the 2026 Super League Basketball Play-off Finals at the O2 Arena in London, as an in-kind donation from Street Games.
5 Years of Building Community Together
Special tributes: Elena Noel and Ben Lyon
A cherished part of this celebration will be dedicated to honouring the lives of Ben Lyon (RJ4All previous chair and long-serving restorative justice practitioner) and Elena Noel (Southwark mediator) who passed away in December. The are two community leaders whose contributions have left a lasting mark on RJ4All’s restorative justice legacy, the growth of the Rotherhithe Community Centre, and a shared vision of a fair and just society.
Ben Lyon
Ben Lyon has been a steadfast friend and guiding presence for RJ4All since its earliest days. As Honorary Vice-President, he has brought over three decades of restorative justice wisdom, rigour and principle to everything the organisation has built. A pioneer since the early Home Office pilots, Ben has dedicated his career to ensuring that victims are heard, protected and respected at every stage of the process. His expertise in some of the most challenging areas of practice, including intimate partner violence, hate crime and violent radicalisation, reflects a deep and unwavering commitment to justice that is genuinely humane. RJ4All is immeasurably richer for his presence, his guidance and his belief in what restorative justice can and should be.
Elena Noel
Elena Noel was there at the very beginning. A passionate advocate for restorative justice long before it found its way into policy, she understood instinctively that the work happens not in academic papers but on doorsteps, in living rooms and in communities, listening to people in pain and meeting them with dignity and care. She led by example: sharing power generously, making space for unheard voices, and showing up for people in boardrooms and in life. For those who knew her, she was also simply a warm, generous and quietly wise friend.
Elena passed away before she could see how far the work has travelled. But her influence is woven into everything RJ4All has built. Southwark remembers her. So do we.
To read Theo Gavrielides’ A Letter to Late to Elena follow this link
Donating towards this celebration
This celebration is a free community event open to anyone. RJ4All is proud to invest its charitable funds to hold the event but we also need your help. Donations will also help us pay tribute to restorative justice champions whose contributions and legacy continue to inspire our community and shape the values of our work.
We also welcome in-kind contributions, including food, gifts for community members, or anything else that may support the event. Every contribution, large or small, is deeply appreciated. Please contact us at admin@rj4all.org for in-kind donations.
Registration Form
To ensure that we have enough food and space for everyone please complete this form.
If you are a young person (aged 8 to 18): Join us from 1.30 pm for a special afternoon of sports, arts and games, followed by the main celebration from 4pm.
Our Supporters
This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of our partners and funders. We are grateful to each of them for believing in our work and helping bring this celebration to life. If you would like to support the event and feature your logo please email director@rj4all.org
