Hall is a lifeline for people in lockdown
TURNED INTO A FOOD BANK FOR STRUGGLING CITY FAMILIES
IN the heart of Highfields, a community hall which has stood for more than 100 years has been heralded as a lifeline to residents.
Wesley Hall, built in 1903, has hosted community gatherings, school days out, children’s Christmas events and lots more for many years.
But since events were cancelled and community gatherings put on hold, it has become a social lifeline and food bank for struggling families.
Events and social activities were repackaged for online. The food bank was started in April.
As part of a campaign in conjunction with Amazon, The Mercury has asked you to nominate your Covid Heroes.
Wesley Hall received a number of nominations for its care and support.
Anita Rao is a manager of the neighbourhood services team of the centre, which also houses a pre-school and day centre for people with mental health issues.
“When we had to close the centre because of Covid-19, we were getting a lot of calls and messages on Facebook from people who needed help,” Anita said.
“We came to realise there was a need for a food bank.”
With the help of Leicestershire and Rutland Charitable Foundation and Hasting’s Direct, the food bank was able to help about 155 people a day, accompanied by easy recipes.
“One of the other issues we faced was having to educate members of the community about what was going on with Covid – it wasn’t easy to understand for everyone,” Anita said.
Long queues were not uncommon outside the centre. Some who saw the queue decided to step in to help.
Staff and volunteers noticed some people needed more than just food.
“People would come to collect food parcels and open up about other problems they had going on like mental health issues and domestic violence,” Anita said.
She herself has been praised. One person who nominated the centre said: “Anita has been an angel since the start of lockdown.
“She made contacts with small and large organisations and has brought everyone together to make a difference. She has set up services and made links with charities and De Montfort University to ensure the community can get the help they need and deserve.
“Her ethos that no one is left behind has made her an inspiration.”