This ‘Spotlight on…’ blog series is aimed at shining a light on some of the 70+ partner organisations that are making the #BrumTogether campaign possible.
Next up on the spotlight list, is Newbigin Community Trust:
Q. What do you do?
A. We’re a community-based organisation that aims to provide a place of welcome, inclusion and social cohesion for neighbours in Winson Green and Handsworth.
Our charity is based across three sites in Winson Green (Winson Green Prison Visit Centre, Benson Community School and Newbigin House) where the community can gather and connect with the programmes that are being delivered.
Q. How are you helping #BrumTogether?
A. We’ve been delivering food parcels and hot meal three times a week, as a way of keeping in contact with our families, checking on the wellbeing of children/adults and giving children craft and cooking activities.
Since March 19, we’ve delivered 416 food parcels, 370 hot meals, 288 craft packs and 14 cooking challenges. We also distributed 36 Easter eggs to the children that normally attend our Newbigin Kids’ Club. Overall, we’ve reached 273 individuals (123 adults, 150 children) from 93 households in the Winson Green/Handsworth/Lozells area.
Q. Are you doing anything else to help Birmingham communities?
A. Yes, we’ve running a Baking for Mental Health initiative, as a way of supporting neighbours who are struggling with the isolating nature of the lockdown and boredom. They make baked goods that we are then able to deliver along with our parcels.
We’ve also re-opened our emergency face-to-face advocacy service for complex issues and have seen 36 appointments where clients remain 2.5m apart in our outdoor office space – a Mongolian yurt set up on our front lawn.
We’ve also provided access to Netflix for a number of people housed in HMOs, as well as transport to and from hospitals with taxi vouchers. Mums in the community have helped to make up craft packs that we then distribute amongst the children in Winson Green and Handsworth to give them activities for the long days! We offer regular social media and phone support for people who are feeling lonely and have recently started a one-to-one walking programme for people who need support and counselling while walking.
For more details about #BrumTogether, visit – https://theaws.co.uk/coronavirus/
If you would like to make a donation to #BrumTogether, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/brumtogether (all money received will go directly to the purchase of food items, hygiene packs, baby packs and activity packs for kids).
