Saturday 17th April 2021
Good evening all,
How has your Saturday been?
When the weather is glorious like this, dealing with these challenging and strange times, is so much easier, don’t you think?
Shame this blue sky and warm sunshine was not with us last weekend, when we went to Kew Gardens, but ce la vie!
How are you spending your weekend? Have you ventured out to the shops? Met up with friends or family? Been to a pub? Watched the funeral? Do please let me know, it really is interesting to hear the many, many different ways people are coming out of lockdown and adapting to the new world.
James and I have been out and about. For those of you who have seen me recently (either in person or via zoom) you will know how grateful I am to get my haircut – I was beginning to look like a poor man’s Robinson Crusoe!
John
WHAT CAN I SHARE WITH YOU TODAY?
A Message From Our Director
Hi All,
As we come out of the pandemic and attempt to return to whatever the new normal will look like I would like to give you a few updates on Covent Garden Dragon Hall Trust.
I hope that you have felt supported during the crisis with the work that John and his team and Keeley and the Youth Team have been doing. Thanks must also be put forward to the many volunteers that have supported the staff during this time.
Our partnership with Covent Garden Community Centre @ Seven Dials Club and with the Phoenix Gardens has meant that we have been able to share resources, support those in need with food and to make the most of outdoor activities for the local community. We have been, in our turn, supported by funding bodies including The Lottery, London Community Covid Response Fund, Felix Project, Peabody Trust, Mercers Trust, St. Giles and St George, LB Camden, Westminster CC, CGAT and others. Local businesses have been particularly generous with their donations to the food bank and to supplying digital equipment and training to get people online – CAPCO, Shaftesbury plc, Mercers, CBRE, local Housing Co-operatives and residents and tenants associations.
We are now making plans for a steady return to face to face work – taking it slowly and carefully. There are fewer opportunities for surplus food supply which means the food bank will have less produce to donate – this means that we will continue to support those in need but ask that if you don’t need to receive support that you let us know.
We will have many less volunteers to call upon. As people go back to work and have other calls on their time they will be unable to undertake the responsibility of deliveries, doorstep checks or responding to requests on the phone support line.
While the pandemic was at its height normal funding streams were closed and ‘covid response’ funding put in place. As that now ends normal funding situations will be replaced. This means that we will have to readjust to the new financial situation. Dragon Hall Trust is hopeful that we will be able to continue in a sustainable way for the immediate future however it should be said that we have to work hard for every penny that is donated or raised from funding sources.
We will still deliver those activities that we are able to, and will continue to keep the costs to an affordable level for users – however, it is true that we will, at times, have to charge a fee for specific activities. If you value those activities please let us know – and do also consider a regular donation to ensure that the activities and the staff to organise and deliver the activities can continue.
Best,
Nicole Furre
Director
Covent Garden Food Bank
Please do contact us if you need a food parcel – CCGG @7Dials can provide you with a free food package each week.
If you need help with shopping, collecting medication or just want someone to talk to by phone – please let us know. You can contact Amber at amber@dragonhall.org.uk or you can reach John either at john@dragonhall.org.uk or 07759 646507 in case of an emergency.
Can You Help Dragon Hall Trust?
Your donation will support vulnerable members of our communities with food via Covent Garden Food Bank, calls via the phone support line and assistance to get online for those who are digitally disadvantaged.
View our latest video on our YouTube Channel:
Please do contact us if you need a food parcel – CCGG @7Dials might be able to provide you with a free food package each week. If you need help with shopping, collecting medication or just want someone to talk to by phone – please let us know.
You can contact Amber at amber@dragonhall.org.uk or you can reach me either at john@dragonhall.org.uk or 07759 646507 in case of an emergency.
That’s all for now – You can contact Amber at amber@dragonhall.org.uk
……….or you can reach me either at john@dragonhall.org.uk or 07759 646507 in case of an emergency.