Yesterday BACA began to share details of their COVID-19 community volunteer group for Ilford and Chigwell, for which we have partnered with various groups including All Saint’s Church (Chigwell), East Ilford Betterment Partnership and Chigwell Row Residents Association.
Today after a call to our office from a man known to BACA we were able to provide our first community needs response. Joel Kyari who lives not too far from our offices and was aware of our foodbank, asked if there was any food available for him.
Joel has been a local resident for some years and due to poor kidney health had a kidney removal operation last week. For many years he has also been required to attend dialysis treatment three days a week which has been a debilitating but necessary part of his life.
Despite the difficulties he faces daily he is a committed Christian and is a singer for the worship groups at two local churches. However after his recent operation and because of the frailty of his immune system he has been asked to self-isolate.
Joel was in luck when he called, as last night, as if an answer to prayer Rev Paula Preston from All Saints Church in Chigwell had shared some food with BACA, that was unusable by Chigwell Primary School, which had to shut due to staff shortages.
So BACA were able to share some fruit, toilet roll and some yogurts with him. We have also offered to help him with getting some shopping later in the week. We filmed our first service under our ‘Community Needs Response’ plan, which you can watch in the embed below or by by clicking (here)
“We are in unprecedented times and of course we are required to take unprecedented action.
“It is a privilege to be working with so many committed groups and individuals who simply want to help.
“The amount of people offering support and help has been astounding and long may it continue.
“The worst is still to come no doubt, but so far local people have proved they’re up to the task.
“Everyone must pull together through the forthcoming months and we must not yield even an inch of our community spirit.”
BACA have been contacted by the Police, Prevention, Intervention and Partnerships Divisional Coordination Unit, E Division. They are looking into a way to fast track DBS checks for those volunteering.
If you are a group that would like to partner with BACA please contact us on 020 8500 1192 or email admin@britishpakistanichristians.org.
If you would like to donate to our group so we can continue to help those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, then please do so by clicking (here)
