Partners praise THH for Covid support

Shah Yousuf

TOWER HAMLETS HOMES has recently “celebrated” reaching two milestones: it has delivered 20,000 hot meals and undertaken 2,000 shopping trips to help support residents restricted by the Covid lockdown.

The celebration is of course tinged with regret that Covid has caused such disruption, and the experience has highlighted how much need there was in the community before the pandemic – which was not met with this large-scale response. Nonetheless, Tower Hamlets Homes has made a valuable contribution to those whom it has supported.

This would not have been possible without the support of three local partners: Darul Ummah, St Hilda’s and Neighbours in Poplar. Leaders of the organisations which run those community centres have now spoken up to congratulate Tower Hamlets Homes on taking the initiative to work with them to co-ordinate community support.

Sr Christine gets stuck into the work for Neighbours in Poplar.

Sister Christine Frost MBE of Neighbours in Poplar, who has co-ordinated the Poplar Hub, said, “Let’s come together. Let’s take care of each other.”

Khoyrul Shaheed works with a young helper at Darul Ummah.

Khoyrul Shaheed, who ran the operation at Darul Ummah, said, “When the lockdown happened, we were thinking what can we do for the community? It is our commitment and duty to serve our community. We were pleased to partner with THH as they not only provided financial support, but sign posted us to access other funding. They also referred residents needing help after they called and checked in with all their elderly residents.”

The work of these co-ordinators, as well as the efforts of all the volunteers who have carried out the work, was recognised by Susmita Sen, Chief Executive of Tower Hamlets Homes. Recognising the one year anniversary of the support network, she said, “I want to take this opportunity to thank St Hilda’s, Neighbours in Poplar, Darul Ummah, East London Cares, London Borough of Tower Hamlets and of course all our volunteers that were instrumental in setting up our community hubs.”

Sorting food at Darul Ummah.

Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs also took a moment to thank all the volunteers, saying, “We must keep working together to keep this virus at bay. People in Tower Hamlets have really come together to support one another, and by working together through volunteering, charity work, food donations and befriending, everyone has pulled together and helped make this a better and stronger Tower Hamlets. We have looked after each other, and I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone that has helped.”

●Financial Health Centre
The THH Financial Health Centre (FHC) was quickly modified to be available to all Tower Hamlets residents from day one of the lockdown. The FHC has been running a telephone, email and online service to offer advice and support to hundreds of residents. In the past year the FHC has:
•supported around 1,000 residents;
•consolidated over £700,000 debt;
•helped residents make claims for benefits amounting to over £350,000.
To mark the first anniversary of the initial lockdown, Tower Hamlets Homes has thanked all the partners who have helped the Financial Centre to operate over the last year.
●Contact the FHC on 020-7364 2200.

●For more information, or to volunteer to help your community contact:  community.partnerships@thh.org.uk
●For more information about the East London Cares befriending project, go to:
https://eastlondoncares.org.uk/home

●Read more about this story:
Tower Hamlets Homes keeps up the community spirit

●Read more about it:
Tower Hamlets Homes supports Council residents
Biggs confirms decision to outsource housing management

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