St Raphael's Edible Garden Autumn Programme

 

A reminder of the origins of the Edible Garden (Thanks to Sufra) 

 

 

 

Sufra Foodbank continues to make a difference to hundreds of lives as they wider their activity - they deserve your support

From Sufra Foodbank and Kitchen

The past three months at Sufra NW London have been extremely pivotal for our organisation and our community at large. From the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, we have come together to scale up our services to address the hunger and destitution caused by the conditions of the virus. We can’t say it has been easy; we have been challenged and stretched in every way, but we are eternally grateful for the monumental support we have received for our Coronavirus Emergency Appeal.

Analysing the current landscape of food inequality and the financial constraints that food banks all over the country are experiencing, we are certainly among the lucky ones.

For Sufra NW London, it was never just about food and money. Hunger and food security are certainly key issues, but we are more than a food bank. We have always been more than a food bank. The global pandemic has emphasised that hunger and the lack of food is just the tip of the iceberg for many families and individuals who use our services. Our beneficiaries – our guests – have often come to us at their breaking point. Some of them have bills they need to cover but not enough money left for food, some of them have lost their jobs and are struggling to put food on the table for their children, and some of them are so vulnerable to the virus that they have been confined to their homes, starving and isolated.

We have approached the crisis from a holistic perspective by providing our food bank users with food parcels as well as signposting services, advice, welfare checks, help with gas and electricity bills and other forms of support they may need. Our Give it 100 laptop drive with The Lady Fatemah Trust was designed to provide disadvantaged families with laptops and wifi and it is a key example of how we are expanding our services to understand the wider context of poverty.

Whilst we have discontinued all in-person activities such as our weekly community kitchen and our classes and workshops, we haven’t stopped working. We have been delivering hot meals and food parcels all over the borough of Brent. People have recognised the privilege of a full fridge and pantry and felt compelled to pay it forward. We are always in awe of the support that we receive every day and the creative ways that people have been raising money for our appeal.

What the Numbers Mean

As always, we maintain that food banks are not a solution to food poverty. Just because we exist, doesn’t mean those in charge are absolved of their responsibility to ensure that food is a human right. The statistics present a wider call to action. We felt it was important to compile this data in order to continue being a transparent and honest organisation, but we can’t do it alone. As a member of the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN), we have worked together to further our understanding of how the current climate is affecting our work and why we’re putting pressure on the government to support us. You can read the full report here.

Getting Involved

If you would like to continue supporting our work and help us meet the demands of the pandemic, please consider making a donation to our Coronavirus Appeal. Alternatively, can check out more ways to donate.  We have been selected by Global’s national Make Some Noise campaign to continue making a difference to people’s lives in the midst of the pandemic. Read more about our involvement here.

St Raphael's Edible Gardem - Opening Ceremony Saturday August 3rd

NEASDEN WINTER FESTIVAL Saturday February 10th

FURTHER INFORMATION

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.

Excellent turnout for Brent's first Walk for Change

Some of the walkers assemble at the start of the walk at Stonebridge Park Station

The first Brent Walk for Change got off to a great start today when a group, eventually more than 60 strong, completed an 11.5km (7 miles) walk from Stonebridge Park to Kingsbury following the River Brent to Wembley Park, and then on to the Welsh Harp via Chalkhill Park and St David's Close Open Space. The route then went to the Silver Jubilee Park in Kingsbury via the Welsh Harp and then on to Kingsbury Station via Fryent Country Park.

The children, some on scooters, did very well and the walk covered all ages up to pensioners and truly reflected Brent's diverse population.

Many of the walkers discovered parts of 'secret Brent' that they had never encountered before and marvelled at the green spaces that remain amidst all the industry and housing development. Many were particularly impressed by Chalkhill Park, which gave the children a welcome break, while others were charmed by Old St Andrew's Church and its graveyard.

The walk was aimed at raising sponsoryship for local voluntary organisation and those on the walk included Sufra Foodbank, the Scouts and Brent Friends of the Earth.

Tired but full of enthusiasm at Kingsbury Station

Sufra Foodbank Election Hustings, March 11th

From Sufra Foodbank and Kitchen

In the run up to the general election, we invite you to attend a hustings event for Brent Central on Wednesday 11 March 2015 from 6:45pm.

The event is hosted by Sufra NW London, in partnership with Mitchell Brook Primary School and St. Laurence’s Larder, and will provide an opportunity for local people, including those directly affected by food poverty, to challenge local candidates on policies affecting the future of the community.

Invited guests include:

Alan Mendoza (Conservatives)

Shahrar Ali (Green Party)

Dawn Butler (Labour Party)

Ibrahim Taguri (Liberal Democrats)

Venue: Mitchell Brook Primary School, Bridge Road, London, NW10 9BX

RSVP here.