As we step into 2026, we’re looking back on a busy year for WMS and the people we support.
New name, same mission
In 2025, Wandsworth Mediation Service officially became WMS. The new name reflects our wider reach across London and the UK, but our purpose is exactly the same: helping people engage with difference, prevent conflict, and resolve conflict.
In September, we celebrated this new chapter at our Pathways to Peace Showcase at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London, bringing together funders, partners and supporters to share what WMS has become and where we’re heading next.
Training: supporting skills for life
All our training is designed in-house, based on what people tell us they are struggling with in real life – in classrooms, homes, communities and workplaces. In 2025, we trained 419 people over 11 training projects.
Children and young people training
We worked with schools to run our games-based, practical programmes for children and young people, including:
- Peer Mediation in primary schools. Training pupils to become mediators who help younger children sort out everyday playground issues calmly and fairly.
- Anger management assemblies (secondary schools). Drama-based assemblies for whole year groups, exploring what happens in the brain when we get angry, and simple tools to pause and respond differently.
- Reflect for secondary pupils. A games-based behaviour intervention programme for teenagers at risk of exclusion, helping them understand their triggers, manage strong feelings and try out new ways of dealing with conflict.
“If you’re struggling or feel you haven’t had anyone to talk to, this workshop is amazing because it makes you feel heard and seen and able to let out your feelings without exploding on someone else. It gives you a voice and a better way to deal with all your problems and bottled emotions.” – Reflect participant
Adult training
We also delivered training for adults who support families and communities, including:
- De-escalation training. Practical sessions for staff working with service users in challenging situations, focused on staying calm, spotting flashpoints early and using verbal and body language to reduce tension.
- Reducing Parental Conflict (CPD-certified) Workshops for voluntary and community organisations, focusing on how conflict between parents affects children, and how practitioners can respond safely and constructively.
“Really interesting content, lots of opportunities to reflect on how this applies to own personal and professional life. Great network with families and professionals from different sectors and communities.”
Conflict resolution: more demand, strong outcomes
In 2025, we saw another rise in demand for our conflict resolution services. We dealt with 286 enquiries, around 16% more than the previous year. Some key trends:
- More local residents asking for free support. Requests for our free community services for Wandsworth residents rose by about a quarter.
- A sharp increase in school-related cases. Enquiries linked to schools more than tripled, reflecting growing pressures around behaviour, attendance, exclusions and family difficulties.
- Strong local partnerships. Over a third of referrals came via word of mouth or trusted partners such as councils, the NHS, police and local services.
- Signposting to partners. Around a quarter of enquiries were signposted to other support (for example Citizens Advice or mental health services).
Our outcomes for mediation remain strong. In 2025, 93% of our mediations reached a full or partial agreement.
Our work ranges from neighbour disputes and co-parenting conversations, to complex workplace and commercial cases. Here’s what some clients told us:
“After fighting for a resolution for 4.5 years, my default mode had become cynicism. We still have one Head of Loss that they are taking back, but agreed on all the other Heads of Loss. A result by any description and the mediators provided the environment for it to happen in a remarkable way. Thank you!” — Commercial mediation client
“After 3 years of tolerating a very negative nuisance from next door… after mediation that nuisance has stopped.” — Neighbour mediation client (free service)
“The service was brilliant. I would be happy to stand with a microphone in Wandsworth and shout about how brilliant you are! — Co-parenting mediation client (free service)
“So a huge, heartfelt thank you to you all for all the help and support you offered in renegotiating our relationship. We both so appreciate it.” — Inter-generational mediation client (free service)
Thank you to our supporters
This year, just under 1,000 people directly benefited from WMS services and training. This has only been possible thanks to our volunteer mediators, our contractors, and our generous funders and sponsors. This includes: The National Lottery Community Fund, The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators, The Hedley Foundation, The Law Society Charity, Wandsworth Youth Partnership Board, and Wimbledon Community Fund+.
We are also deeply grateful to Linklaters, who continue to fund our Reflect programme in East London schools. We’re excited to keep working together in 2026.
Looking ahead to 2026
With support from Cranleigh Trust, we’ve developed a new strategic growth plan, with a strong focus on expanding our training programmes for children and young people. In 2026 we will:
- Apply for larger grants to grow our work,
- Look for sponsors to bring our games-based school programmes into more London schools, and
- Begin preparing for Phase 3 – offering these programmes to schools nationwide, at no cost to them.
If you or your organisation would like to sponsor a school to receive Peer Mediation or Reflect, or use our commercial or workplace mediation services, which help fund our free community work, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to start a conversation about how we can work together in 2026.
