Havering Covid 19- mutual aid, a page dedicated to helping the community.
Trevor McKeever from South Hornchurch Labour Action team today writes in the Havering Daily.
In these unprecedented times and one month into the lockdown, with the Government trying to control the spread of the COVID Virus, our communities are coming together to form a quite formidable, resilient, taskforce of social care & help in the community, Havering Covid-19 Mutual Aid is one such group which has had some 9300 people join its face book page.
This is a group for Havering residents looking to help each other out during the Covid-19/corona virus pandemic.
Havering Covid-19 Mutual Aid exists to promote greater community cohesion during this difficult time, with special concern for the elderly, disabled and/or immunocompromised people.
It is not for racist, hateful or any other abusive opinions, nor is it for naming and shaming, i.e. mentioning specific shops that have high pricing or mentioning specific individuals, Unsubstantiated rumours, The buying or selling of products or any of type of profiteering, or the giving of medical advice.
Our Facebook page has links to trusted sites for medical, including dental & financial resources, we also have a Popular Topics drop down menu for, request for help, uplifting stories, latest news and info, resources and activities and requests for information
Whilst we are one big group, the members have been placed into wards, each ward has administrators & co-ordinators, which makes it easier and more efficient to get help to people in need.
There has been some fantastic work going on across all the wards which would not have happened without the help of the volunteers from this group, we have assisted in a verity of ways from the simple things like arranging milk & tined soup for an elderly person, promoting a local collection that has just taken twenty car loads of toiletries & food for the staff at King Georges & Queens Hospital, to assisting people who require help, support and guidance in there personal hour of need, but what is most encouraging is the amount of people willing to help a stranger in a crises, we have had feedback from a lady that requested help, she was overwhelmed by the support, having over 80 offers of help and her situation was resolved.
There are just over 273,000 people in Havering, we would like to think we could reach out and help all in need, but as it stands this is not possible, we would need more volunteers, if you feel you may have some spare time please come and visit our page on Facebook follow the links and volunteer.
On a personal note I would like to thank Andy Walpole for inviting me into this group, also thank you to all the co-ordinators, admins and moderators for all the time they spend making the Havering COVID-19 Mutual Aid Facebook page current & relevant.
Trevor Mckeever
Co-Ordinator & Admin for South Hornchurch Ward
