Palmers Green resident Jasmine Al-Hurra has set up the London Borough of Enfield Covid-19 Mutual Aid group on Facebook, based on guidance from Covid-19 Mutual Aid - UK. This is one of around 150 Covid-19 Mutual Aid groups that had been created around the UK as of Sunday lunchtime. Volunteers coordinating via WhatsApp and Facebook groups and offering people in self-isolation help with shopping, dog walking and picking up prescriptions.
To join the closed group visit www.facebook.com/groups/221075632630141/.
Each mutual aid group is autonomous and will decide how best to function, but the national website suggests the following:
- Creating leaflets and flyering to let people know about the group. (If you are going to flyer, please make sure you’re considering hygiene. Avoid door knocking/unnecessary face to face interactions).
- Providing a number for local vulnerable people to call if they need support.
- Running errands/shopping for vulnerable people/self isolating people
- Providing a friendly ear and some emotional support to community members who are self isolating or finding the pandemic overwhelming.
You can volunteer in a group whether you are fit and able to run errands or self isolating. A lot of coordination is being done through Facebook and WhatsApp group so if you’re self isolating but feeling well enough to support, you can help with coordination of your local group whilst other people are out doing the physical activities.
Links
London Borough of Enfield Covid-19 Mutual Aid (Facebook group)
