Sufra launch Ramadan Appeal 'Seeking Sanctuary - Finding Hope' - your donation will be match funded, Help the homeless and the hungry

 

 

 Thanks to the Islam Channel for the video

 Message from Sufra Foodbanks and Community Kitchen

Whilst many of our team observe fasting during this month of Ramadan, it’s sad and distressing that a growing number of our guests don’t even have enough food to break their fast.

 

Youssef, a young Sudanese refugee, is just one of many of our guests in this situation.

 

Youssef came to our food bank this week in desperate need of hope. He had been sleeping on the streets for weeks, with no food or adequate provisions to keep warm. He had lost faith in getting the support he needs over Ramadan.

 

As we do with a growing number of refugees and people seeking asylum who have been made homeless, we are making sure Youssef now has a nourishing Iftar every day.

 

Meanwhile, we are paying for emergency accommodation to keep Youssef warm, dry and safe – whilst fighting for his right to a decent roof over his head.

 

With record levels of demand for food aid at Sufra, and homelessness reaching new highs across London, we can’t do this without your help.  

 

 

At a recent Advice drop-in, Ahmed (a refugee from North Africa) turned up in complete despair. Despite his physical disability, he was evicted from his Home Office accommodation without any support, and left to fend for himself on the cold streets of London.  

 

Using our Samaritan Fund, our Advice Team arranged emergency accommodation in a hotel that met his medical needs. We provided food aid and support with his benefits, whilst working to secure his right to a decent roof over his head. 

 

This Ramadan, Sufra’s thoughts are with people like Ahmed, who have been forcibly displaced and are bravely establishing new lives in London. Those who have fled war, abuse and life under threat. Those forced to leave their families and seek sanctuary in a foreign land. 

 

Donate Now to Help Sufra Support People Like Ahmed  

 

Sadly, when a person seeking asylum reaches the UK, their basic human rights are ignored and they are often treated like second class citizens. Every day our advice workers are faced with some of the most inhumane and heart-wrenching cases, and it isn’t the situations they are fleeing but the ones they are facing here. 

 

As soon as a person seeking asylum receives the right to remain in the UK, they are served an eviction notice and have as little as seven days to leave their Home Office accommodation. Many of them are left homeless and hungry whilst trying to find a place they can afford – an almost impossible task. 

When guests come to Sufra, we make them feel at home by sharing a meal and listening to their struggles. We treat everyone with dignity and respect to rekindle their hope and sense of community – all whilst fighting for their basic right to food and shelter.  

 

Please support our ‘Seeking Sanctuary, Finding Hope’ Appeal to help uscontinue to provide food and shelter this Ramadan. 

 

35,000 Meals This Ramadan 

 

During the holy month of Ramadan, our Community Kitchens will be serving free Iftars, four days a week. People of all faiths or no faith are welcome to attend and sample Chef Jas' delicious global cuisine.  

 

Through our network of Food Banks and Community Kitchens, we aim to provide 35,000 meals to those most in need.

 

If you would like to be part of our mission this Ramadan, please donate HERE. 

 

Double Your Donations with Beta Charitable Trust (BCT)

 

We are very grateful to have £10,000 of initial match funding for our Ramadan Appeal from our gracious, long-term partner BCT. This means every penny you give will automatically be doubled and have twice the impact for our guests.

 

Donation amounts: 

• £5 will provide one of our guests with a hot and freshly cooked 3-course meal.   
• £40 will provide a family with a week’s worth of food and essentials. 
• £100 will cover the cost of emergency accommodation for a guest who has been made homeless. 
• £250 will sponsor one of our homeless food drives.
• £1250 will sponsor a week’s Community Kitchen service. 

 

Zakat al-Mal and Zakat al-Fitr 

 

Sufra NW London can distribute Zakat al-Mal and Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of observant Muslims to needy individuals and families living in Northwest London. 

 

All Zakat funds are restricted to providing emergency aid (including food, clothing and hostel accommodation). No zakat funds are used for the general running costs of the organisation. 

 

You can find our Zakat Policy here. 

 

To pay Zakat al-Mal (2.5% of annual savings – restricted to emergency aid) use this link. 

To pay Fidya, Kaffarah or Zakat al-Fitr (£5/person – 100% restricted to food) use this link. 

 

Other Ways to Help 

 

Many mosques, community centres and school are running food drives during the month to help keep our shelves stocked, if you would like to organise a collection please get in touch and we can provide you with one of our iconic yellow bins and shopping lists to distribute in your local community. 

Alternatively, you could also take part in our Ramadan Giving Calendar which is a great way for children to learn about the importance of giving (and adults too!)

 

 

Sufra Food Kitchen - Monday to Friday in locations across Brent - Just turn up for free 3 course meal - open to the whole community

 

Sufra call for fair treatment of employees by small businesses

The Newsletters from Mohammed S Mamdani of Sufra NW London, who run a foodbank, edible garden, cooking classes and  a pop-up restaurant are always interesting.  They combine reflections on current issues with practical organising. This is the latest Newsletter:

Let's take a stand against  unscrupulous businesses
 

If there is anything that bothers me most, it’s cheating people. Especially those who have no option or choice but to comply. I’ll cut to the chase. What I mean is, I can’t stand it when people get screwed over by those who can afford that little bit more.

Farida is a single mother who attends the Community Kitchen on a weekly basis, with her 9-year-old son. She was employed by a hairdresser on minimum wage, £7.20 per hour for 16 hours per week. Well, that’s what her contract says. At the end of month, after completing her due hours, her employer transferred £300 into her bank account and gave her a pay-slip for £518.40. In effect, she was paid just £4.17 per hour, well below the minimum wage. Illegal, unethical and frankly, outrageous.

Her story is by no means unusual. I’ve even heard stories of people working for weeks (regrettably without contracts) and being paid nothing at all. After 3 years of working at the food bank, you begin to recognise these nasty trends.

The logical assumption is that this is easily solvable. Report to HMRC. Call ACAS. I tried everything. It’s just not worth their while to investigate one complainant at some small business down some alleyway in Harlesden (no offence). No one gives a damn about the little people. Even less, if they don’t know how the system works, speak with an accent or are simply desperate.  

So, who are these deceitful employers? Yes, there are the likes of Sports Direct, who after much uncomfortable media attention decided to atone publicly for their sins, but I’m thinking of those small businesses close to home. The barber down the road. The takeaway where you stop off on your way home from work and the dodgy electrician who always seems to have a lackey to do the dirty work.

I’m not here to hound or stereotype small businesses. The climate is tough and the margins are narrow. But there are plenty that manage to treat their staff equitably. Let’s make a stand against unscrupulous businesses that screw over their staff.

Recruiting: Volunteer Coordinator

Sufra NW London in partnership with Brent Care is recruiting a Volunteer Coordinator to support a new NHS pilot, which aims to reduce non-essential GP and A&E visits. Working as part of a team of 5 Care Navigators, the Volunteer Coordinator will recruit and supervise volunteers to support patients navigate various social care facilities to enable them to become independent and less reliant on front-line NHS services.

A full job-description and application form can be found here. There is no deadline for applications, as we are interviewing on a rolling basis. We recommend early application to avoid disappointment.

Supermarket Collections

If you want to sign up for your first good deed of the week, put your name down to volunteer at one of our upcoming supermarket collections.

This weekend we’re at Asda Wembley Park (5/6 November), and a fortnight later, at Waitrose Brent Cross (19/20 November). We just need you for a couple of hours.

To sign up for Asda Wembley Park, click here.
To sign up for Waitrose Brent Cross, click here.

Help us stock up for the Christmas rush.

Emergency Welfare Fund

Next week, the government introduces the reduced benefit cap, which will leave an estimated 498 food bank users living on just £35/week. You can find out more, in my last newsletter here.

To cope with the chaos, which will soon unravel, Sufra NW London has launched a £5,000 emergency welfare fund to provide short-term financial support to families in crisis for gas/electricity, travel and other household costs.

To make your donation, click here.

Sami’s Chicken Club

The race is on to gather enough votes to help Sami, our 16-year old Assistant Gardener, win an Aviva Community Award of £1,000 to build an aviary and chicken coop on St. Raphael’s Edible Garden. Please support him and vote here.

SAVE THE DATE: Pop-Up Restaurant

Our next pop-up restaurant will be on Saturday 17 December, prepared entirely by graduates of our flag-ship programme, Food Academy Plus. Save the date for this very special Christmas dining experience. 

Christmas Dinner @ Sufra NW London

No one should be lonely on Christmas Day.

Sufra NW London will be open on Christmas Day for a very special dinner for those who are living alone or cannot afford a traditional dinner. There will also be a minibus collection for those who are reliant on public transport.

The cost of the Christmas Dinner is £360 – so if you know a company or a generous individual who would like to sponsor the dinner, please get in touch.