24.04.2020
Renee is our guest editor this week. As well as being our director of finance and operations, Renee is our lead on the health & wellbeing and social inclusion programmes.
Five weeks into our lockdown our lives have changed and we are discovering our adaptability and focusing our energies on meeting our clients new and pre-existing needs. Alongside this we are busy preparing for our annual audit, maintaining our building and bidding for the funding opportunities that have arisen in response to COVID.
The garden gate is a big help
Our Befriending and Wellbeing programmes are proving invaluable. Clients are benefitting from the great team of staff and volunteers working hard keeping activities going using WhatsApp, Zoom, telephone and post. It’s really surprising how quickly people pick up the new way of doing familiar activities.
We are spending much more time speaking to people on the phone and are calling on people to have an over the garden gate chat. People tell us they are now adjusting to having to stay at home. It is great that people are managing well but sobering that people are accepting it so easily.
Our Health and Wellbeing and Social Inclusion programmes aim to decrease loneliness and social isolation, reduce risk of homelessness and improve mental health of our most vulnerable clients.
We are needed by our clients for emotional and practical support.
We have had to get involved and deal with numerous services such as following up with energy suppliers, checking if clients in receipt of a NHS letter have received the food boxes they are entitled to, signposting and allocating to the right team those clients who are in need of benefits advice etc. Our clients are very much in need of moral and emotional support and value us showing interest on their daily routines and suggesting tips and techniques to encourage and motivate them. We have had some very distressed clients who are being PIP assessed by telephone when they really need us to support them through the assessment. This is one of the worst times for the assessors to be removing the choice of support from our most vulnerable clients. We thank ICAP and BIAS for working alongside us and also the Pakistan Community Centre for agreeing to accept our food deliveries.
Express to avoid stress
Another new feature of the service during the pandemic is Bingo by Post, this means our regular players don’t miss out on their lucky numbers.
Painting, drawing, colouring are meaningful ways of spending time and are a help in managing stress. Our group continues and participants share their creations with us. This week we are sending our art challenge packs provided to us by Accumulate London - The Art School for the Homeless. As well as people experiencing homelessness, we expect those living with mental health challenges to benefit.
Join in and keep an eye on social media for the drawing challenges for the week. For starters why not pop us your drawing of 1) yourself 2) something natural and 3) something soft. You can send it in on social media, by email, post or drop in our letterbox. Whatever way your artwork arrives, we will pass it on to our friends at Accumulate.
Have you ever wanted to learn guitar? Well, now’s your chance – there are free online guitar classes with Raf via Zoom on Tuesdays 2 – 4pm. We can get a guitar to any of our dementia or mental health clients who would like to take part. Just pop an email to: [email protected] and copy us on [email protected].
Singing for Wellbeing – Weds 1.30pm
A great way to show that being alone does not mean being isolated. The group come together on Zoom to sing a range of old favourites. A great way to keep spirits up and keep the group together safely. Our Friday choir are also active and many are taking part in other singing groups that are emerging.
When we return to the office, our wonderful volunteer Eileen will get a surprise to see the stock of postage stamps depleted. @Benefacto volunteers were kind enough to provide postcards for our clients with cheerful, inspiring thoughts. These have been sent out to connect and cheer many of our clients.
Keep on dancing
You can support us by getting engaged in the music and dance sessions. A big thanks is due to Zumba Maggie, Donna and Eamonn who are delivering via Facebook Live – you can join in the fun too.
Zumba Maggie continues her very popular weekly class for us. Maggie has a dedicated following. Why not make contact with her and join her class.
Donna is running twice weekly Zumba classes and only asks you to make a donation to us if you are able to and if you enjoy the class. The class is great fun and I am absolutely sure that everyone is taking part non-stop for the hour. I am!
Here’s a shout out to Eamonn Cunniss who puts on a music show a few times a day via Facebook Live – he has quite a following and is raising funds for Ashford Place and Luton Irish Forum. He is aiming to raise £2000 and is nearly there – so why not listen in and support him to his goal.
You might find yourself dancing in the sitting room! Dancing at home is much more fun than working from home.
Thank you too to people doing the 5K challenge and paying the £5 to us using our Just Giving link.
Lockdown does not mean shutdown
This is where the financial and operations hat comes on - the new ways of working and keeping the show on the road has meant new costs that we had not anticipated. We need your support.
Thank you to our funders who have given additional funds to help us through this difficult time. We especially thank Wembley National Stadium Trust and The Mercers Company who fund Wellbeing and Activities programmes.
Supporters like these have been vital in keeping the friendships and sense of community alive, helping vulnerable people get through this unprecedented event. We are hopeful of good news on the bids we are waiting for answers on.
Ideas for things we need that will fit through our letterbox:
Postage stamps, Sketch books, Toileteries, Envelopes, Notebooks.