For the next few weeks, we’ll continue to share uplifting stories about some of the wonderful initiatives and ideas that have come about as community heroes across Brighton & Hove take action to look after one another throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
As news of the pandemic began to spread and the government took action to lock down the country, we heard about the struggles of overworked NHS staff who weren’t able to access healthy food – a combination of the extra hours they were working and the panic buying that left many supermarket shelves bare.
A recent recruit to our TDC Equalities team, Maha Mustafa works on the Social Prescribing Plus project. Her journey with TDC started when she had support from a Community Development Worker to run groups in the BAME community to bring people together. She then joined us as a volunteer, and earlier this year we were delighted to welcome her on board as a member of staff.
Maha has community spirit running through her and during the Coronavirus pandemic she has shopped for vulnerable people in her community and put together 37 food containers filled with delicious food and all including positive messages for NHS workers.
She has also been able to support an elderly person to learn how to use technology to communicate. With technical support from our digital whizz Cal, Maha was able to able to guide the person in setting up Zoom on the iPad – all done safely as the person stayed inside by the window and Maha stayed outside.
Here are some photos of the food packages Maha sent out, along with positive messages and drawings by her children:
