Fulham charity feeds residents in need during coronavirus crisis

A local charity, the Smile Brigade, is providing a lifeline to many H&F residents.

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Monique Newton who is founder of the Smile Brigade

A local charity, the Smile Brigade, is providing a lifeline to many H&F residents staying at home to save lives by making and delivering healthy meals every day.

Now it’s seeking volunteers and food donations to enable it to help even more people.

Smile Brigade founder Monique Newton and her team, in partnership with The Rylston pub in Fulham, have been delivering free meals to the homes of local people who cannot get to the supermarket during the coronavirus crisis.

Last week the community group delivered 600 meals to 100 homes, which included residents with long-term health problems and those in financial difficulty.

Now, with more residents getting in touch each day, the Smile Brigade is looking for more volunteers to help them with their deliveries, as well as any food donations.

To volunteer or offer food, get in touch with the Smile Brigade.

“We didn’t want the coronavirus to stop us providing healthy meals to the people that needed them the most in the local community,” said Monique.

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Healthy meals are sorted and loaded into cars ready for delivery

“Our hot and cold meals are put together with the food donations we receive so it all depends what comes through the door. More food donations would really help us.”

“Monique and her team are doing an amazing job in these tough times”, said Councillor Ben Coleman, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care. “I hope local people will pitch in so they can help even more people.”

The Smile Brigade also provides care packs, which include toiletries, to individuals or organisations in need.

To book a delivery of food for yourself or someone you know, fill in this form.

Helping to keep Fulham fed

As part of its work to fight loneliness and social isolation, Hammersmith & Fulham Council provided financial support last year to help the Smile Brigade set up its kitchen in the Clem Attlee estate’s community hall in Fulham.

The charity was providing a free lunch every Tuesday to people who were on a low income, living alone or homeless until it was temporarily forced to stop due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Now it is cooking and taking food out to those who need it most in our community.

The food is prepared under social distancing conditions and the council is providing the team with personal protective equipment.

For the latest information and advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) – including the current situation in the UK and information about the virus and its symptoms – please visit our coronavirus (COVID-19) web page.

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