Then, Now, Always: 70 years of Our Lady of Fatima

At the heart of West London's White City estate since 1955, the parish of Our Lady of Fatima began as the Sunday meeting-point of the area’s many Irish Catholics, and now serves parishioners, visitors and residents from across the globe. But while skylines and demographics change, this remarkable parish is a powerful reminder that the love of God and neighbour never ceases to bring people together.

What stands out about Our Lady of Fatima is its rootedness in the needs of the local community; complementing sacramental provision with an impressive roster of social action initiatives. The parish centre opens its doors most days of the week, hosting regular community meals, social groups, skills workshops, sustainability drives, and a weekly foodbank service frequented by hundreds in the local area. 

The most recent addition to this list was a volunteer-led photography course, culminating in an exhibition of participants’ work during Advent entitled White City: Then, Now, Always. And while the photographs highlight the changing face of White City, the stories behind them tell of a parish that has shared in this journey at every step of the way.  

As we sat down for the weekly Foodcycle community meal — one of several environmental and community-building initiatives hosted at the parish — the photographers shared the inspiration for their pictures, along with personal insights about their experience of the parish.

Angela’s pictures tell the story of generations of family members who have lived and worshipped in White City, including a view down a road captioned ‘Nan’s path to her church,’ the interior of a GP surgery that once housed a public swimming pool, and the former site of an over-50s social group attended by a relative. One shot is particularly thought-provoking: a view of the estate’s characteristic 20th century brick buildings, overlooked by cranes and glass skyscrapers rising in the distance behind. 

Others, like Christine, are more recent arrivals in the community. Originally from Hong Kong, Christine came to London in 2023, and bumped into parish priest Fr Richard Nesbitt by chance while walking around White City. The parish soon became an important source of fellowship for her, as she juggled long hours working at a hospital with being new to the UK. After some time, Christine joined the parish RCIA programme, and was baptised at Our Lady of Fatima in 2024. Her photographs tell of natural beauty hidden in plain sight: arched branches framing a path on the estate, trees lining the streets, and details from a local park. 
Other photographers shared how the course, like the parish, offered them a much-needed sense of community. Photography tutor Paola is from Argentina and arrived in the parish two years ago; she is now an active volunteer supporting their weekly foodbank service and seniors’ group, and recently took on the role of parish Caritas Representative. She told us that the parish had been a lifeline for her, supporting her as she faced a chronic health condition that prevented her from continuing her work as a teacher.  

Having experienced the power of community to combat social isolation and improve mental health, Paola explained that she wanted to offer this to the parish by sharing her love of photography. Her students’ stories are a testament to this mission: KC shared how the course helped him to meet new people and navigate a difficult time in his life, and there is something distinctly hopeful about the attentive, artistic shots he compiled from his daily walk to work. 

The exhibition is just one of many highlights in the life of Our Lady of Fatima over the years, and speaks to the parish’s willingness to adapt to its surroundings. As the area has become increasingly multicultural, the spirit of the Gospel lives on in the form of local outreach to people of all faiths and none; from the Anglican church down the road to the area’s growing Muslim population. Whether it’s through shared meals, sewing sessions or a warm space to meet in winter, the focus is on bringing people together. 

Fr Richard explains: 

These are all different things [that] create a common language... It’s simple, but it’s very powerful. Because that’s the heartbeat of community: eating together, being good neighbours, learning more about each other, [and] caring for the place where you live. 
During the pandemic, a grant from Caritas Westminster enabled the parish to employ part-time Community Support Worker Laura Allison, whose work behind the scenes was instrumental in growing the parish’s social action initiatives into what they are today. She is supported by countless dedicated volunteers, many of whom were inspired to serve after the parish participated in Caritas Westminster’s Love in Action programme. 

Laura’s own story is deeply woven into her work in the parish. A White City resident for over 40 years, she came back to the Church after some time away, and threw herself into volunteering at Our Lady of Fatima. ‘It was a complete eye-opener,’ she says, ‘and I absolutely loved it.’ 

Laura comes face-to-face with the challenging circumstances of those around her, but says her work never fails to bring her joy: ‘It’s all real life, but it’s real, lovely, life... we're here, in the middle of things, and it’s nice to make a difference.’ 

As a child, Laura remembers feeling frustrated by negative portrayals of her neighbourhood by outsiders and the media. Through working at her parish, she hopes to shed light on a different side of the story:  

It’s very emotional for me, because I love my job. It’s very difficult sometimes, but White City is a brilliant place. If only people came here sometimes, and gave it a chance... [because] the people who do, they’re really blown away. It’s nice to see those moments when people see what we see.  

Reflecting on his 12 years as parish priest, Fr Richard adds:  
We are at the heart of the community physically, but I think we are [also] the living heart of this community, trying in ways that are right for 2025 to be that Gospel presence... that's something that I feel very humbled and very proud to be a part of. I think there’s something very precious here in White City. 

Last week, the parish centre of Our Lady of Fatima opened its doors for the final time. Not forever, that is; in mid-2026, it will reopen as a completely renovated community hub, ready to share Christ's love with White City for many years to come.