Standing Ovation for Founder of Hammersmith & Fulham Coffee Group
George Graham winner at West London NHS Trust Excellence Awards
George Graham with his award
October 26, 2026
This year’s West London NHS Trust Excellence Awards saw Crisis Support Worker George Graham receiving a standing ovation as the surprise winner of this year’s Chief Executive’s Award.
The ceremony, held earlier this month at the Courtyard by Marriott London Heathrow, brought together staff, volunteers and teams from across the Trust to celebrate outstanding contributions to patient care, community support and service improvement. This year’s event was the largest in the Trust’s history, with a record 806 nominations submitted by colleagues, patients and families.
Finalists were recognised across nine categories, including Employee of the Year, Leader or Role Model of the Year, Patients’ Choice, Team of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Lifetime Achievement. The breadth of nominations reflected the dedication and expertise found throughout the organisation.
The Chief Executive’s Award, kept confidential until the night, honours an individual who has made an exceptional impact on the Trust and the communities it serves. George Graham joined the Trust in 2003 and has worked within the Crisis Assessment and Home Treatment Team since 2009. During this time, he identified a challenge faced by many people recovering from a mental health crisis: loneliness, isolation and limited social networks once formal treatment ends.
In response, he founded the Hammersmith & Fulham Coffee Group in 2014 as a space for people to meet, share experiences and support one another. What began as a small gathering of four people has grown into a community of more than 160 individuals, with around 80 regular attendees. The group now receives referrals from a wide range of services, including Mental Health Integrated Network Teams, Early Intervention, Specialist Older Adults Mental Health Services, inpatient wards and primary care.
Members of the Coffee Group have described George as a “fantastic person” and a “lifesaver”, crediting the group with helping them find connection, understanding and hope during difficult periods in their lives.
As George walked to the stage to accept the award, colleagues rose to their feet in recognition of his long-standing commitment to supporting people beyond clinical treatment. Chief Executive Maria O’Brien praised his work, noting that the Coffee Group had grown “into something truly remarkable” and created “a community where people feel connected and valued”.
She also highlighted the achievements of staff and volunteers across the Trust, thanking finalists, nominees and winners for their ongoing contribution to patient care.
Accepting the award, George said he was honoured and proud of the community the Coffee Group has become. He thanked colleagues, volunteers and patients for their support and emphasised his commitment to continuing to put patients first.
The full list of 2026 award winners includes:
Employee of the Year – Charlotte Frankham Leader of the Year – Saba Shanmughasundaram Patients’ Choice Award (Joint Winners) – Manuella Ngomga and Bethany Hickman Promoting Diversity and Inclusion – Krupa Patel Putting People First – Michael Venables Team of the Year – Orchard Unit Ward Managers Team The Dr Jose Romero-Urcelay Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr Bryan Corridan Volunteer of the Year – Anoo Kapil Working with Patients and Communities – CAMHS/QI Link Worker Pilot Team (Sarika Ghai, Rina Koradia and Niquita Mansuclal) Chief Executive’s Award – George Graham
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