A76176_Bancrofts_Insight Autumn 2020_v03

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C OM M U N I T Y
Bringing Mutual Aid
for Mutual Benefit
Danya Lakshman, L6N
Since lockdown began, many passionate British citizens have
been stepping up to do what they can to fight Covid-19 and
support those on the front course, it is undeniable
that, due to our collective efforts, the ramifications of the
virus have gradually been decreasing.What was nearly a
daily death toll passing the thousand mark has become a
figure just short of 200 (as at 31 May, the time of writing).
Whilst lockdown restrictions are being eased, our efforts to
take initiatives and support one another during this time of
uncertainty must not ease alongside them.
Redbridge is a London borough in east London with a
population density of over 4,945 per km². Researching into
Ilford South really caught my eye. A shocking 46.9% of
children in poverty places it in the top 25 constituencies in
Britain with the highest recorded levels of child poverty. And
with a severe global pandemic such as Covid-19 rising, we
must continue to take initiatives to help those around us.
Redbridge Mutual Aid is a volunteer organisation which helps
and provides basic needs to all vulnerable people in the
Redbridge area. It offers: a 7 day a week phone hotline for
any Redbridge resident; shopping help; prescription deliveries;
phone buddying; food bank and hot meals
It needs your continued support. Although the organisation
continues to run three food bank deliveries with 150 parcels
per week, donations are still needed. Food poverty and child
poverty are still such major issues in our borough. Donations
only last two weeks. This is not a matter of stockpiling.
Demand is simply so high, and they need more.
As an organisation starting from the drive of one person,Tanya
Salinder, it has successfully integrated with different charities
and organisations and built something wonderful.
• It teamed up with the Singh Sabha London East
Gurudwara – Sikh temple - in Seven Kings which
provided 500 to 600 meals a day to local
hospitals with coronavirus patients
• It worked with St Mungo’s Charity which housed
homeless people in local hotels, providing them
with daily hot meals
• It joined forces with the FrenfordYouth Club to
form a superhub for many services, including
further food bank and hot meal parcel preparations.
• It has helped vulnerable individuals and families
get back on their feet, whether that be through
regular food parcels or alerting the local council
of their housing needs.
These are just a few examples of how such a strong,
interconnected network has been formed. It demonstrates
that we as a community can show those in need that, even
during uncertain and undetermined times, they could have a
progressive outlook on what their life can be.
Helping out for such good causes not only benefits other
people’s lives, but it benefits yours too. Mandy Keigher, 54, a
Foodbank volunteer said,“As a furloughed swim teacher I have
been giving my time to helping people who through no fault
of their own have found themselves in a position that they
are struggling to pay for essential food and household goods.
For my own mental health this project has allowed me to stay
focused and know that the project is making a difference to
people’s lives. I am forever grateful to the happy helpers for
this opportunity”
If we all continue to play our part, we can continue to build
something so can shed some light on a situation
so grave and turn it into something so can
bring mutual aid for mutual get in touch with
Redbridge Mutual Aid either phone: 02031373984 or email:
Sewing Scrub Bags
Mrs Gray (Bancroft’s Cleaning Manager), Mrs Hague (Foundation &
Development Office) and Mrs Dawkins (ex Biology LabTechnician)
put their sewing skills to work to make scrubs bags for keyworkers
in the NHS.These bags enable workers to safely transport their
scrubs home to wash them without fear of cross contamination.The
bags can then be hot washed to blitz any traces of virus.A second
project for the group was sewing face masks for use in
Great Ormond Street Hospital.
They were aided by members of the Bancroft’s community who
provided them with the necessary materials. Once again we saw
incredibly generosity: a great example of #BancroftsKindess in action.
The bags look great: almost far too pretty for their intended use!