Saluting our Sisters: Lola Adishalu - a Beacon of Community Empowerment

In the heart of Coin Street, amidst the vibrant celebration of Black History Month, we turn our focus to the extraordinary women who personify the true essence of community strength and empowerment.

Lola Adishalu is a force of nature whose dedication to yoga and community involvement has left an indelible mark on countless lives. Here is our second salute to our sisters. In her own words…

Hi, I my name is Lola Adishalu, I am a yoga instructor, and I am known for usually wearing beanie type hats.

I am also fortunate to be able to work with Daniel Gibbs and Nishi Begum in Coin Street’s Youth and Community Projects. Activities include Easter and Summer Camps and the Seniors’ Coffee Mornings at Colombo Centre as well as other programmes.

What brings me joy

On Thursday evenings, I support Annette Telsford and Natalie Bell with the Community Singing in the neighbourhood room. This brings me joy and a delightful opportunity to witness their dedication and commitment not just to their singing but also enjoying themselves.

What I cherish

I love the fact that I can be involved in a range of Coin Street’s Community Programmes as that is where I see lots of people of all ages getting involved, establishing new friendships and connections.

Health and happiness

Engaging with such intergenerational groups and witnessing the positive impact these programmes have in enriching their lives. This is what keeps me coming back and makes my week a success each time I am with them. Focussing on wellbeing within a community is crucial. It’s about giving people a sense of ownership over their own health and happiness.

Thriving people

With many of our older community members, loneliness can be a struggle for them. Coin Street provides an avenue where they can feel value. People have fun while chatting and belonging as they learn to look out for one another. This creates a strong sense of a thriving environment making them not just residents but also active contributors.

Keeping fit

As a yoga instructor, I address physical health and aim to bring out the best in participants and boost their self-belief in their ability to be motivated to come to a variety of sessions offered to them.

‘I wasn’t going to come to the session this morning but glad that I did’

It is so rewarding when I get feedback comments like ‘I really enjoyed that session’ or ‘ I wasn’t going to come to the session this morning but glad that I did’. This is a world apart from my time working within corporate settings. Here I feel valued and invigorated. I am interacting with people that appreciate me, and what I do to make them feel good about themselves.

Seniors’ coffee mornings

I feel lucky to be working alongside a friendly, kind and talented team of people. Running the Seniors’ coffee mornings with Daniel Gibbs is amazing because sometimes we’re literally thinking on our feet and devising the quiz questions at the very last minute. The coffee morning is incomplete without a quiz; our participants are very competitive.

Pride in the community

What I am most proud of, is the opportunity to get involved in the growth and positive impact Coin Street has within the community. The culture is unique as they welcome ideas and changes that will help to improve the community.

Coin Street is not just a physical space, it is also an information hub, connecting individuals to external agencies when needed.

Diversity and representation

I am part of the Black Lives Matter Racial Equality Steering Committee group where our focus is to build upon diversity and representation. Inspiring objectives that will offer more projects to empower the people who view our inspirational neighbourhood as home.

Looking forward

I look forward to Coin Street evolving and embracing change so as to continue to uplift the community. As we look forward to the 40th anniversary in 2024 my hope is that we continue to embrace positive changes. It will be an exciting journey.

Find out more about Lola’s programmes including yoga, community singing, coffee mornings and other programmes here.