Community group awarded Pride in Medway Award for tackling loneliness

ITV Meridian's report is by Charlotte Wilkins. She's been speaking to participants, Julie Myan, Brian Holmes, Michael Burke, Narendra Patel and Mary Treasure.

A group that was started in Medway during lockdown to help combat loneliness has won a Pride of Medway Award. The Befriending with MA|RR service has grown in popularity and is continuing to help people who may feel isolated.

It started as a one-to-one befriending service at the start of the pandemic. Now, Befriending with MA|RR has around 70 members and many meet for regular get-togethers, like today's walk around Capstone Park in Chatham.

26.07.22

Sandy Flemming from Rainham News talks to Befriending with MA|RR volunteers about their success at the recent Pride in Medway Award 2022.

09.05.22

Befriending with MA|RR formerly known as 'Let's Get Chatty' wins 'Pride in Medway' Community Services Award

On the 22nd April 2022 Befriending with MA|RR formerly known as 'Let's Get Chatty' was chosen from 48 outstanding Medway organisations and individuals to win the Pride in Medway Community Services Award 2022. We were shocked and over the moon to collect the award on behalf of the Befriending with MA|RR team of volunteers. The group which was set up by Kate Belmonte, the co-founder of MA|RR, was set up at the start of the first covid lockdown to reach vulnerable and isolated members of Medway's vast community. Kate thanks every single volunteer and beneficaiary for their dedication and support over the past 2 years. She cannot stress enough how honoured she is to work alongside such amazing individuals, all of whom are helping to bridge the gap of isolation with simple kindness and friendship. Kate also passes her congratulations on to the other nominees of the Pride in Medway awards saying “Medway would not be what it is without you!”

22.04.22

LGC win Pride in Medway Community Services Award 2022

Coffee, Chat & Connect Logo - Mutual Aid Road Reps

We're delighted to announce that MARR and our Befriending with MA|RR initiative has been chosenby the Co-op as a member of their Local Community Fund!

Everyone within a 15 miles radius of our registered address (ME86BN) can choose MARR as their community cause. Which means that whenever you shop in the co-op & you swipe your coop membership card you can help raise funds for our future community coffee mornings and walk & talk events.

To register us as your cause please click here once you're logged in you can choose us as your community cause (pretty pretty please with a cherry on top) if you're not already a co-op member you can join for just £1 and earn points, which will more than cover the one off cost of the card.

Please do consider choosing us as your local community cause for 2021-2022
Kate Belmonte, Co-founder
21.10.21

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Hi *|FNAME|*, What a year it has been, yes we've had lows but we've also many many highs, and we've been filled with joy by the warmth and kindness displayed by our volunteers throughout. Thank you for joining us on this journey, here's to a New Year in 2021!

We are pleased to inform you that we have volunteers available to assist our vulnerable and self isolating neighbours, throughout the Christmas and New Year period. We are operating daily between 10am and 4pm and will help where we can but will obviously be at the mercy of shop & pharmacy opening hours.

Help Us to Help Medway Donate Here

If you come across anyone who is in need during the Christmas & New Year period please pass them our contact details. We can help with shopping, utility top ups, a Let's Get Chatty call, prescription collections or hearing aid battery deliveries. Please check on your neighbours, delivering a Christmas card is a great opportunity to ring their bell and check all is well.

Our amazing volunteers have undertaken in excess of 3000 tasks, showing our community that we really are here to help!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Our Let's Get Chatty team are in need of admin support and more Chatters, if you or someone you know could give a couple of hours each week or could make 1 call a week then please email the team or pass on our phone number 01634 907045.

Starting Christmas Day we will be celebrating 12 of Medway's voluntary organisations in our '12 Days of Christmas' project, led by our volunteer Paramjot Kaur. Please like, follow and share. It's the perfect time to donate to these groups, so they can continue their amazing work in 2021.

HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS & A HEALTHY, SAFE NEW YEAR!

Mutual Aid Road Reps CIC
[email protected]
www.mutualaidmedway.org.uk
T. 01634 907045

Copyright © MARR 2020

Mutual Aid Road Reps CIC is a registered company in England & Wales 12754639.
Registered Address: 98 Elmfield, Gillingham, Kent, ME86BN.

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Coffee, Chat & Connect Logo - Mutual Aid Road Reps

Mutual Aid Road Reps (MARR) gears up for new initiative. Its aim? To bring Medway’s coronavirus fractured community back together.

MARR, a mutual aid community group in Medway has secured vital funding via the Test Bed Fund and Medway Voluntary Action, allowing them to launch their ‘Coffee, Chat & Connect’ sessions later this month across Medway.

The sessions are to be targeted at those who have been isolated throughout lockdown and will serve as an important process of reintegration for shielded individuals back into our community. Initially, MARR intends to host these events twice a month in venues across Medway.

The first session will take place at a local cafe on Saturday 19th September in Rochester, followed on Saturday 26th September in Rainham.

To express an interest in attending future sessions please email your details to [email protected] or call 01634 907045.

About MARR

MA|RR was formed in March this year as a direct reaction to the pandemic. The organisation has helped hundreds of residents across Medway through the efforts of 270 volunteers, working tirelessly within their communities.

“As lockdown has ended, volunteers have been returning to work and we have been rebuilding our volunteer base. If you’re interested in giving back to your community, and can commit even a couple of hours each week, please get in touch with me via [email protected] for more details.” -
Kate Belmonte, MARR Co-founder.

07.09.20

Newsletters

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NEWSLETTER #4

1400+ INDIVIDUALS HELPED SINCE 14TH MARCH
391 COMPLETED TASKS SINCE 24TH JULY

Give me your hands, if we be friends.

We at MARR aim to bridge the gap of isolation with simple kindness and friendship, and boy have we achieved that! Collectively we have helped over 1440 individuals across all of the Medway Towns, providing essential support during an extremely scary and uncertain time.

Since the 24th July you've all completed 391 tasks and, despite the pausing of shielding, we have seen a steady stream of enquires and requests for help from those still shielding, or those needing to self-isolate following symptoms or positive test results.

Rules are changing thick and fast, so rather than typing something that will probably be outdated by dinner time, keep up to speed with rules, laws and regulations by visiting the central government website HERE.

MEET THE TEAM
On Tuesday 20th October join MARR's Steering Group for our first public meeting, ask us anything and find out how you can help shape the future of MARR. You can send your questions in advance via our general email. To join us please register HERE. There will also be the opportunity to provide feedback on our journey to date, so please do come along.

Mutual Aid Road Reps (MARR) gears up for new initiative. Its aim? To bring Medway’s coronavirus fractured community back together. At the beginning of September we were successful in securing a grant from the Test Bed Fund for our Coffee, Chat & Connect sessions. This will help us extend our Let's Get Chatty service to physical engagement via a series of coffee mornings across Medway, in order to help the lonely and isolated. This will allow us to bring people together to form human connections and a sense of belonging and well-being within their community, helping to heal the traumas of lockdown. You can view our Press Release HERE.

The COVID-19 Symptom Study app has been developed by health science company ZOE and it is endorsed by the Welsh Government, NHS Wales, the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland. 4,221,187 participants have downloaded the app and are using it to regularly report on their health, making it the largest public science project of its kind anywhere in the world. App data is being analysed in collaboration with King's College London researchers. We encourage all of you, your family and friends to consider downloading this vital research tool in the fight against Covid-19. DOWNLOAD ANDROID APP | DOWNLOAD IOS APP

We still have PPE kits and masks available...
If you know of anyone in financial hardship or someone wishing to come out of shielding who is in need of PPE, please refer them to us. There is no charge for the mask and they are not only reusable - but they have been hand made by our wonderful team of 'crafters! If you would like a kit for yourself or friends/family there is a suggested donation of £5 per kit. You can register your interest HERE.

ID & DBS CHECKS
As some of you may know, our wonderful volunteer Christina Moss is in the process of checking IDs and DBS declarations. This is important, not just for safeguarding those we work with, but also so that we can meet the terms of our grant acceptance through the Test Bed Fund. In addition, it also means we can ensure that those who are identified as needing a DBS check can receive one though our partnership with Medway Voluntary Action at no cost. If you would prefer to submit your ID details you can do so HERE. Or you can directly call Christina on 07729 566281. Once visual confirmation is received, your submitted proof of identity will be deleted.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Do you know someone who would like to get involved with the amazing work we're doing here at MARR? If so please ask them to give us a call or drop us an email, or perhaps even forward this newsletter to them.

Crowdfunding
With the success of our Test Bed Fund application, we have secured our overheads through to the new year. However, with many losing work during these difficult times, we would like to be able to cover your fuel costs when running errands and completing tasks. We do not want fuel poverty to be a barrier from connecting with your community, so please share this newsletter and the following link with your friends and family. There is no minimum donation with Crowdfunder, so even £1 will help those with petrol costs. DONATE HERE

Skills Audit
If you are interested in getting more involved with MARR, please complete our Skills Audit. Our Coordinators will then able to look at the skills you have and reach out to ask for your help.

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS - SHOW US YOUR CERTIFICATES

At the beginning of the month, our Area Coordinators began to deliver Thank You packs to all volunteers who have submitted completed task form since joining MARR*.

We would love to see our social media flooded with your kind and loving faces, so please tag us in a picture of you holding your certificate on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or INSTAGRAM using the #MutualAidHeroes. Silly Hats or Fancy Dress optional for the bold & brave!

*Gillingham is a little behind, please bear with us while we get delivery organised.

We still have A5 leaflets to distribute to key locations across Medway, if you can spare a couple of hours to target retirement areas and areas of high density, please get in touch ASAP.

Help Us to Help Medway.

HAVE A GREAT MONTH EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO!

Mutual Aid Road Reps CIC
[email protected]
www.mutualaidmedway.org.uk
T. 01634 907045

Copyright © MARR 2020

Mutual Aid Road Reps CIC is a registered company in England & Wales 12754639.
Registered Address: 98 Elmfield, Gillingham, Kent, ME86BN.

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You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.