PRIORITY 1 – SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS IN SELF-ISOLATION

We had agreed to apportion £25,000 of the Big Local funding into a small grants scheme focused exclusively on responding to Coronavirus in the local area and supporting vulnerable groups during lock down

The aim of this scheme was to ensure a rapid but measured community response via local organisations with a proven track record, focused directly on the needs of the Wormholt and White City community. Grants had enabled groups to mobilise quickly and increase their capacity to help residents during the Covid-19 crisis, with project delivery between May and July 2020. Grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 were offered with the condition that beneficiaries were primarily in Wormholt and White City and projects met at least one of these criteria:

The delivery of food, medicine, and essential supplies Social interaction/befriending schemes Increasing the capacity and reach of your volunteers Expanding and enhancing the practical, mentoring and emotional support they offer to improve people’s wellbeing. The first funding round closed on April 30. We were planning to open a second round of funding in July.

13 Applications were received, totalling £52,427.17. Following a rigorous assessment process, the board unanimously approved the panel’s recommendations and seven projects were successful:

Nubian Life is a charity operating as a community resource centre providing Adult Day Care Services for Older (65 years+) African and African Caribbean residents across the borough. We funded the Rafiki Project which provided nutritional and culturally specific meals and telephone befriending to BAME communities in the area. The project aimed to benefit the multi-generational local communities of Eritreans, Somalians, Asians and Caribbeans. The RENA Initiative exists to Recognise, Empower and Nurture Artists (RENA). The WoWC Create and Connect Project was an 8-week art and befriending programme for up to 60 local women, including carers of those who are at high risk, domestic abuse victims and for women who were dealing with mental health issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this project was to generate enjoyment, creativity, connection, vitality, empowerment and community while providing practical support to improve mental health and wellbeing. Sudanese Nubian Association is a non-political and independent non-profit making organisation that assists its members and their children to learn and master the Nubian language, history and heritage. The Sudanese Nubian Association Community Support Project delivered food to a minimum of 24 households of Sudanese community members, who were isolated and vulnerable. Eritrean Social Community is a local organisation that focuses on supporting the most vulnerable members of the Eritrean community. Project All Together aimed to enhance the practical and emotional support for local Eritreans – including 50 families – with around 150 children and 125 adults. This was achieved via telephone and video conferencing using multilingual volunteers, delivering essential supplies to the elderly and providing activities and equipment for families with children who could not afford them. Al Ansar Football Club had been delivering Football Coaching & Recreational Youth Football training for many years. They worked with 50 young people and 10 volunteers within White city and Wormholt. Young People’s Club Project aimed to provide 16 hours of one to one mentoring, emotional support and social interaction activities to their members via daily physical activity online as well as social interaction activities. This helped ease the anxiety and frustration young people were experiencing. West London Welcome is a free drop-in centre for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants providing them with the access to the services and support they need to lead full lives within their local community. This project supported the hardship fund, for those who had no access to public funds. It ensured individuals had phone credit and internet so they could stay connected and join their online classes (English, yoga, and meet-ups). It also supported their foodbank. Switch Sports is an organisation that runs a hybrid sports programme aimed at helping local vulnerable communities through activity. Switch Quiz ran a weekly quiz with educational and activity-based prizes to at least 20 teenagers who use their clubs regularly. Some were on the periphery of gang culture and this unique project hoped to keep them engaged and in contact with the club.

PRIORITY 2 – PROVISION OF FOOD AID

We had donated £10,000 to Hammersmith & Fulham foodbank to assist their primary objective; the prevention or relief of poverty in and around the borough during the pandemic. Demand for the food bank had increased drastically due to the Covid-19 pandemic and we anticipated this to keep rising as the crisis continued. Our funding was intended to help them meet the surge in urgent, short-term local need during that time.

PRIORITY 3 – ADVICE FOR FINANCIALLY STRESSED FAMILIES

Alongside Midaye, we had partnered with Hammersmith & Fulham Citizens Advice to provide specialist money advice services to Midaye clients and residents within Wormholt and White City. The new service started on 18 May, with one day dedicated to Wormholt and White City residents, and one day for Midaye clients. The provision was set to last 12 months and was promoted to residents, encouraging them to self-refer via Hammersmith & Fulham Citizens Advice helpline (0300 330 1162) or by filling in the referral form. We also planned to work with local partners, including the Primary Care Network Link Workers and Mutual Aid group, to set up a referral process directly to the Citizens Advice worker.