UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham Launch Community Coronavirus (Covid-19) Response Appeal

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UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham Charity has launched a Community Coronavirus (Covid-19) Response Appeal. This enables local individuals, businesses and foundations across the borough to support local response.

 

The Appeal is in partnership with Hammersmith & Fulham Council, and is part of a coordinated effort with the voluntary sector to prevent and respond to the pandemic. 100% of funds raised will help groups working with people who face risk as a result of Coronavirus in Hammersmith & Fulham.

 

You can give online now.

 

How will the fund help?

We will provide micro grants directly to groups supporting the population in Hammersmith & Fulham. This includes those particularly focusing on the extra needs of people who are:

 

  • at risk of complications severe enough to require hospital care
  • at risk of being unable to cope with isolation
  • at risk because they’re living in poverty

 

This includes conducting deep cleaning for community hubs and purchasing protective equipment for frontline workers, but also creative ideas that help others adjust to and live through social distancing, help people cope with anxiety, and help resolve practical consequences of isolation.

 

Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, said:

 

“These are surreal times. All of us are making changes to our lives we never imagined we’d be doing. But this is real, and we can get through it.”

 

UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham is a local charity that inspires and helps fund activities that promote a strong sense of togetherness in the diverse London borough. This is achieved by connecting those who want to support the community with local causes that will best use their investment. They are experienced with giving microgrants and express their capacity to unlock the potential in the borough to support one another.

 

Chair of United, Kevin McGrath, DL, OBE, said:

 

“It is vital that this fund is part of the community response in preparation for what’s to come The needs of our older community will likely change very rapidly over the coming weeks and months and so we are committed to doing what we can to help support.”

 

To donate, or even fundraise remotely, visit our Covid-19 page by clicking here.

 

Alternatively, if you’d like to volunteer please see information about the borough’s Community Aid Network, by clicking here.

 

Thank you.

UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham Sign Funder statement on Covid-19

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18/03/2020

UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham, along with a wider group of funders, recognise that the covid-19 outbreak is an exceptional event that will have an impact on civil society groups, and want to offer reassurance that we stand with the sector during this time. We wish to be as helpful as possible during the coming weeks and months so that civil society groups can focus on the vital work of supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. We understand that there will be times when staff and volunteers will not be available, when beneficiaries may need services to be provided in different ways, or when systems need to be flexible to ensure that needs are met.

If your community, services or organisation are affected by the covid-19 outbreak, and you receive grant[1] funding from us, we are committed to:

  • Adapting activities – we recognise that you may experience difficulties achieving some of the outputs or outcomes we agreed for your grant during the outbreak, and would like to be able to maintain our grant payments to you at originally-agreed levels during this period, so please have a conversation with us if you are affected in this way;
  • Discussing dates – we don’t want to add pressure, so if you think you will struggle to meet a reporting deadline please get in touch with us so that we can agree a more realistic time for you to get things to us wherever possible;
  • Financial flexibility – we know you may need to use your funding to help cover sickness, purchase equipment, or deliver services differently, and we will be reasonable if you need to move money between budget headings to ensure your work can continue; and
  • Listening to you – we are here if you want to talk to us about the situation you’re facing, but we’ll wait for you to call us so that these conversations are at the right time for you.

We also recognise that there may be further shocks to the system caused by covid-19 that may impact on your other income streams, or require a more urgent response from funders. Where we have any news on emergency funding we commit to publishing this on the London Funders web page below so you can see all available programmes in one place.

This statement is being coordinated by London Funders, but is not only for their members or funders in London, so if you have other funders or supporters you think would like to sign this please ask them to get in touch with the team at [email protected]

You can see the current list of funders who have committed to this statement alongside us at https://londonfunders.org.uk/about/covid-19

[1] This does not apply to commissioned services or contracts where there will be separate discussions between commissioners and provider organisations

Lord Dubs Launches Humans of Hammersmith & Fulham Exhibit

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‘Humans of Hammersmith & Fulham 2020’ is a unique photo exhibition tour presented by United in Hammersmith & Fulham. The charity hopes that it will take away prejudice and exclusion, and inspire belonging, discussion and sharing.

 

The exhibition, which is open for free at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, was launched at a reception attended by many of the ‘Humans’ themselves – including campaigner for unaccompanied child refugees Lord Alf Dubs. Also a Patron of United, he said:

“Congratulations to United for such a wonderful exhibition. It’s wonderful to see so many local people recognised”.

Alf Dubs Launches Humans of Hammersmith & Fulham 2020. Photo: Justin Thomas/H&F Council

The collection of photographs and interviews was produced by Savraj Kaur at United, who engaged with volunteer portrait photographer Nahwand Jaff. They were delighted by the turnout and the Human’s reactions to seeing themselves or people they recognised from daily life.

 

Mayor Daryl Brown toasted the exhibition. Photo Jason Joseph

 

The work is an ongoing catalogue of those living, working and playing in the borough. Photo Jason Joseph

 

Almost 100 people turned up to the launch and shared stories of the borough. Photo Jason Joseph

 

United in Hammersmith & Fulham is a local organisation that inspires and helps fund activities that promote a strong sense of togetherness in our diverse London borough. This is achieved by connecting those who want to support the community with local causes that will best use their investment.

Chair of United, Kevin McGrath, DL, OBE, said:

“We invite anyone to come and see this exhibition which will continue to form a living catalogue of individuals from Old Oak to Sands End.

It really shows how wonderful our borough is and the value of all the communities within it. Those who are strangers but neighbours with so much in common too.”

 

Team United including CEOs of founding organisations HUC and DEBK. Left to right: Vivienne Lukey, Chris Hammond, Savraj Kaur, Priyesh Pattni, Helen Fagan, Victoria Hill, Julian Hillman, Jonathan Martin. Photo Justin Thomas / LBHF Council

 

The collection features everyday people of the borough. Photo Jason Joseph

 

Visitors can experience their neighbours, and the entire neighbourhood, in a new light. Photo Jason Joseph

 

Humans of Hammersmith & Fulham 2020 will tour the borough in various venues. You can currently view the exhibition for free at The Lyric Theatre, 9am to 11pm, Monday to Saturday, until Saturday 22 February. You can also keep up to date with tour venues through the year at unitedhf.org.

Left to right: curator Kathryn Walter, digital curator Gaia Bini, producer and interviewer Savraj Kaur, and photographer Nahwand Jaff. Photo Jason Joseph

 

You can view the exhibition for free at The Lyric Theatre until 22 February, before it moves to it’s next location. Photo Jason Joseph

 

 

 

 

UNITED supports business community’s homeless initiative

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Small tap, big change is an initiative launched by Hammersmith BID aiming to combat challenges associated with homelessness exclusively in Hammersmith & Fulham; UNITED is supporting with the collection and distribution of funds.

 

Fixed donations of £2 per tap will be collected at contactless devices in pubs, shops and office buildings across Hammersmith town centre, with the additional option to give donations online of any value. This will empower residents, businesses and visitors to make a positive difference for those facing challenges associated with homelessness in the borough.

 

Money raised will go directly to local homeless charities operating in the borough, funding additional beds, hot meals, washing facilities, outreach services and life skills coaching. The charities that will benefit from Small tap, big change in 2019/20 are the Barons Court Project, Glass Door, St Andrew’s Church and The Upper Room.

 

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://hammersmithbid.charitycheckout.co.uk/profile” text=”Quick donate”]

 

 

Kevin McGrath, Chair of United in Hammersmith & Fulham & Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

“At United in Hammersmith & Fulham, we want to inspire everybody to be a better neighbour. One of our key aims is to support local people in need, whoever they are, so Small tap, big change is vital; it allows locals to donate easily and effectively through contactless devices in everyday places, to help drive real improvements for those facing homelessness challenges in the borough.”

 

Patricia Bench, BID Director at Hammersmith BID

“Small tap, big change will provide a simple and straightforward way for all of us to help people literally on our doorsteps.  We know Hammersmith businesses want to help address issues around rough sleeping in the area and Hammersmith BID looks forward to working with them for this great cause. We cannot wait to spread the Small tap, big change message and support the work of fantastic local projects.”

 

Michael Angus, Director at Barons Court Project

“Barons Court Project has to raise £150K annually for our work with people who are homeless, so it is essential that we get as many donations as possible. Small tap, big change is a fantastic initiative which allows the community to be involved in solutions to help end rough sleeping. At our drop-in centre we meet basic human needs such as showers, laundry and hot meals and then offer 1-1 support to get people off the streets. We also have a range of life skills and activities to enable everyone to live the life they deserve. Your donations will ensure we can keep offering our vital services to people in need”.

 

Find out more – or give directly – at the Small tap, big change website.

 

About UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham

United in Hammersmith & Fulham is a charity that enables activities which bring people, communities and neighbourhoods together to improve people’s lives. Its aim is to support the work of others to build stronger and more inclusive neighbourhoods and communities in the borough, linking those with time, money and skills with those in need.

 

Published 23 October, 2019