The #HelpNewham local hubs set up by Newham Council to offer a lifeline to some of the most vulnerable people in the community during the coronavirus crisis have now delivered almost 14,800 packages of food and supplies.
Since the start of the lockdown, Newham Council has been working hard with the voluntary sector, local faith groups and an army of resident volunteers to make sure our most vulnerable residents are supported during this unprecedented time.
When the scale of the Covid-19 pandemic became obvious, the Council mobilised quickly to find ways to get support to residents who were older, needed to self-isolate or who were vulnerable.
The Council requisitioned schools that were closed to the majority of pupils, and Council buildings, and created eight food distribution hubs.
Staff were redeployed from across the Council to support the relief effort and a call was made to volunteers from the voluntary, community and faith sectors who could give up their time to support the humanitarian effort.
Distribution of packages takes place every day using a fleet of highways vehicles, re-configured school buses and smaller vehicles. There were 1,234 parcels delivered yesterday alone. The Council has also worked with voluntary and community groups to distribute more than 36 tonnes of surplus food across the borough as part of Newham’s work with the London Food Alliance.
Overall this week so far, we’ve distributed 10,000 tins of soup, 4000 litres of milk, over 3 tonnes of potatoes, 3 tonnes carrots, 30,000 mushrooms, 3,000 heads of broccoli, 30,000 apples, 20,000 oranges, 20,000 bananas, 100,000 tea bags, around 2 tonnes of rice. During Ramadan we are also distributing hundreds of kilograms of dates to make sure that those observing can break their fast as they would in more normal times.
The Council has also supported 15 community organisations to accept fresh, frozen and chilled foods, as well as the more traditional dried and canned goods associated with food surplus distribution, by purchasing large commercial fridges and freezers so that the organisations can store fresh produce.
Rachel Ledwith from FareShare London, a partner in the London Food Alliance, said: “Newham Council have set a leading example in how to turn surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, into a sustainable supply to people who need it. By investing in fridges and freezers and supporting voluntary and community partners, the Council has focused on getting large volumes of surplus food into the borough. That work will leave a legacy beyond this crisis in tackling food poverty across Newham.”
The #HelpNewham hub teams have also been working with health partners from GPs and pharmacists, and more than 2,000 prescriptions have already been delivered to residents from 37 pharmacies.
So far, 20,224 vulnerable residents who the Council thinks might need support have been phoned by Council staff and there is a befriending service as well to offer some human interaction; a quick natter over a cup of tea, to break the monotony of being on their own.
Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz said: “In Newham we have something we can share with others, and more than 20 authorities from across the country have been in touch to learn from what we have done.
“We have embedded community wealth building into our local hubs model and approach, which is about addressing poverty and inequality, protecting livelihoods and building stronger communities.
“The hubs are working with our schools, faith groups, youth workers, residents and local businesses, who have all made incredibly generous donations. In our last survey of residents, nearly a third of people said that they had no-one they could rely on when things became difficult. It’s a stark reminder that even in one of the busiest cities in the world, people can feel incredibly lonely and isolated. I have been incredibly moved and impressed by the work people are putting in to support those at risk."
If you need support or know someone who does, you can contact the #HelpNewham team by visiting the Council’s website. You can also watch our latest #HelpNewham video.