The Lambeth Fund was created to support voluntary sector organisations during the Covid 19 emergency. In total, 124 diverse organisations applied, making the fund heavily oversubscribed. Now 45 organisations have benefited from the award – including:
- Organisation of Blind Africans and Caribbeans (OBAC) – £5k towards operational costs of a telephone befriending scheme to benefit vulnerable men and women aged from 17 to 65+.Two frontline
Reading Braille
staff and volunteers call to check people are keeping safe, mentally and emotionally balanced. They identify who needs home services and make health services referrals. They’re piloting using Skype to engage those who access training. Many who will benefit are socially isolated (often only speaking to their carer), the majority of beneficiaries are from ethnic minority communities and for most, English is a second language.
- Supreme Ltd – awarded £4k towards moving face-to-face workshops and consultancy online, including webinar training and networking events. b.Supreme -a charity championing the arts in Lambeth via hip hop culture since 1998 – are used to tackling challenges using arts participation. Although fully inclusive, online projects in their new business model support young women, particularly from the ‘Ladies of Lambeth’ project which fused hip hop dance and healthy lunches. This was created in reply to research showing many young people depend on school meals and suffer in summer. Lockdown brings similar risks. To strengthen communities, dance and social interaction online improve mental health daily, combating loneliness and apathy. B.Supreme volunteers then safely deliver healthy lunches.
B Supreme promo pic
- Lambeth Asian Centre (LAC) – £5k to continue providing services to 30 over 65s from ethnic backgrounds experiencing multiple deprivations like disabilities and long-term illness. Staying inside to protect themselves from the coronavirus, older people are hard hit with isolation and loneliness. They go days without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. LAC stay in regular touch by phone, email or video, and post notes through doors encouraging them to stay positive. They pick up repeat medication, groceries, and other essentials to leave on the doorsteps of self-isolating people. They share helpful local information from councils, charities and others They find out who’d like help setting up online delivery. They offer books, magazines and puzzles. They help prevent falls, encouraging seniors to stay active around the house or take a walk away from crowded areas.
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Lambeth Asian Centre
Word from the Cabinet
Cllr Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth Council Cabinet member fir the Voluntary Sector, said: “The overwhelming number of applications for the limited pot of money we could offer shows how many people and organisations are working to help the community. We want to say ‘thank you’ to them all and would want to encourage residents to get involved with their local organisations.”
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