COVID-19 Acts of kindness and service

Around the UK thousands of people are responding to COVID-19 through acts of kindness and service. We highlight below just a few examples from faith communities and faith-based bodies.

For more examples and updates, follow the Inter Faith Network on Twitter or Facebook. If you do not have a Twitter or Facebook account, you can view our posts here: https://www.interfaith.org.uk/news/social-media 

2021 

• Members of Mill House Synagogue in London have been taking part in Mitzvah Day activities by collecting plants and cards to deliver to people self-isolating in the local area. https://twitter.com/MitzvahDay/status/1389973430141919243 
• Churches of the Diocese of St Asaph in Wrexham have been distributing seeds and gardening tools to enable people to grow their own fruit and vegetables. https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/churches-to-help-communities-grow-their-own-fruit-and-veg/ 
• Leeds Central Salvation Army church dished up its 10,000th hot takeaway meal to people who have struggled to feed themselves and their families during the pandemic. https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/news/leeds-church-dishes-10000-meals-vulnerable-people
• The East London Mosque has been handing out thousands of iftar meals to NHS staff and the poor. https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2021/4/15/east-london-mosque-feeds-nhs-workers-for-iftar
• Ipswich Buddhist Centre has helped provide the Suffolk Baby Hub with much-needed food and baby supplies. https://ipswichbuddhistcentre.org.uk/help-for-hungry-babies/
• Sikhs in Birmingham have celebrated Vaisakhi by holding a street stall with food from Midland Langar Seva Society’s mobile food kitchen on the streets of Birmingham, feeding the general public. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/happy-vaisakhi-2021-sikh-community-20377070
• Members of London’s Orthodox Jewish community have been distributing hundreds of food packages to families ahead of Passover. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2021/03/23/jewish-volunteers-distribute-food-packages-to-families-ahead-of-passover/
• Ludlow Baptist Church has given away 141 food parcels to feed 332 people in March 2021. The Church has also been giving vouchers that can be used in local butchers and greengrocers, helping support local businesses and the community. https://www.ludlowbaptistchurch.org.uk/our-church/foodbank
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have been using the Just Serve initiative to connect with local organisations and communities and serve local communities by sewing scrubs for medical workers and knitting hats and blankets for the homeless. https://news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/gift-of-time?fbclid=IwAR0Gnl2FgyPvrq6oE3AB8Uf4i5PFneRiCazPf4KqPQEb4Aob4UjHR1FL_Kg 
• Sewa Day celebrates one year of the 'Help a Neighbour' campaign which has served more than 1.5 million meals, provided supplies for more than 80 food banks and more than 70 hospitals, and sourced thousands of items of PPE. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/health/coronavirus-covid19/2021/03/17/charitys-year-of-front-line-action/
• The Ahmadiyya community of Edinburgh and Fife have been donating to foodbanks and helping frontline workers during the pandemic. https://twitter.com/AlexRowleyFife/status/1372604524221902851
• The United Reformed Church in Buxton has served over 5,000 food parcels during the pandemic. https://urc.org.uk/latest-news/3739-buxton-urc-feeds-5-000-through-community-project.html
• A Sikh Community Centre in Northamptonshire has worked throughout the pandemic to feed rough sleepers, support vulnerable people and help volunteers. https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/people/rose-northamptonshire-awarded-sikh-community-centre-tireless-work-help-vulnerable-3123694?fbclid=IwAR1KUGKjGZj8xZAdOTqZTt3P47hvmciSTpDNLk2qLC5OUuwCbuCTmYR4JQ0 
• The Al Khair Foundation has been delivering food packs and ingredients to prepare hot meals for families in need. More than 500 food packs, grocery items and ingredients have been delivered to mosques, churches, support groups and individuals across South London. https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/muslim-charity-helping-hundreds-of-residents-survive-during-lockdown/
• Telford & Wrekin Interfaith Council have been handing out thousands of breakfast parcels to children in need. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/health/coronavirus-covid19/2021/01/04/food-parcels-for-families-in-need/?fbclid=IwAR3awqknGMIOtccb9vFebE-wHkalCzrK8anlWxaHJjRRsEE2HzKfk4QME54

2020 

• Sewa Day has launched a ‘Help a Neighbour’ campaign during the pandemic which communities across the UK have been taking up. https://sewaday.org/covid19/ 
• Volunteers from Neasden Temple have been serving hospitals, foodbanks, the local police and fire brigade, as well as other essential workers and charitable organisations during this time. They visited Northwick Park Hospital to deliver afternoon tea for staff working to serve those affected by COVID-19. https://twitter.com/NeasdenTemple/status/1243566986610778118  They delivered fresh fruit and vegetables to The Felix Project, a UK based food redistribution charity. https://twitter.com/NeasdenTemple/status/1246395629368217600  Volunteers from the Neasden Temple delivered packs of food to firefighters at Park Royal Fire Station. https://twitter.com/NeasdenTemple/status/1248912970962403331 They have also donated traditional Indian sweets to Sri Guru Singh Sabha for their Vaisakhi celebrations. https://twitter.com/NeasdenTemple/status/1249718691140378624 Volunteers delivered food to local ward officers in the Stonebridge Park area. https://twitter.com/NeasdenTemple/status/1250072159566934017  They also delivered food boxes to TfL staff, TfL controllers, and tube drivers. https://twitter.com/NeasdenTemple/status/1253292087942004736  And they gifted boxes of dates to the East London Mosque at the start of Ramadan. https://twitter.com/NeasdenTemple/status/1253771641101979651
• Watford Salvation Army have prepared 50 boxes of essential items for vulnerable families in their community in response to the Coronavirus. They are also working with their partners in local schools to ensure that disadvantaged families receive necessary supplies in the coming weeks. https://twitter.com/salvationarmyuk/status/1240974906625601541
• Near Neighbours have created a postcard that people can download, print, and give to a neighbour in order to reach out to those individuals who may not have access to online technologies. https://www.near-neighbours.org.uk/card
• The Sikh Food Bank has been delivering parcels of food to hundreds of people of all backgrounds in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. https://www.thenational.scot/news/18639209.sikh-foodbank-continue-operating-80-000-lockdown-meals/
• Bolton Council of Mosques are offering support to those in isolation, including help with shopping collection and delivery, medication collection, or just a friendly phone call to overcome loneliness. They have also donated over 150 packs of food to some of the NHS staff for helping others. https://www.facebook.com/thebcom1/photos/a.1655370304791283/2530291963965775/?type=3&theater
• Local churches in Battersea, London have started a ‘Coronavirus Angels’ scheme to provide help for the isolated through errands, as well as online services. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysbattersea/photos/a.624563330954450/2861218287288932/?type=3&theater
• A number of Hindu temples are using their kitchens to prepare meals for NHS workers and vulnerable people in the community, including Slough Hindu Temple, working with Sewa Day West London https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/18367683.hindu-temple-hands-kitchens-charity-volunteers/
• Al Manaar Mosque is offering a daily telephone counselling service with a professional therapeutic counsellor, especially for those suffering from isolation. https://almanaar.org.uk/al-manaars-emergency-measures-in-regard-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
• An inter faith initiative in Bradford consisting of faith leaders from Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Christian communities has helped vulnerable and elderly people amid the lockdown. The Volunteering Interfaith Programme (VIP) run by Strengthening Faith Institutions (SFI) in conjunction with Age UK has supported the vulnerable with food delivery, shopping, and friendly phone calls. https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/18362146.inter-faith-initiative-helps-vulnerable-elderly-people-amid-lockdown/
• The Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara in Slough is offering its entire four acre site to the NHS as a temporary hospital. https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/18344298.gurdwara-offers-services-temporary-hospital/?ref=twtrec
• The Salvation Army in Reading have launched a food distribution hub and are collecting food donations from the local community, businesses and residents to support families in need through its 'Make Lunch Reading' scheme. https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/salvation-army-hall-transforms-food-distribution-hub-meet-coronavirus-response
• Finsbury Park Mosque have teamed up with humanitarian charity Human Appeal, as well as Wishes Catering, to give free meals to NHS staff at Whittington Hospital. https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/human-appeal-and-finsbury-park-mosque-give-whittington-hospital-staff-free-meals-1-6596230
• GIFT, a UK Jewish charity, has launched an emergency Coronavirus appeal, and is offering a range of services, including: co-ordinating the delivery of hundreds of lunch packs to families who rely on free school meals; delivering hundreds of litres of soup; virtual tutoring for children who need academic support; and more. https://www.jgift.org/gift-coronavirus-initiatives.pdf
• Winchester Churches Nightshelter have changed their systems and shifts to provide continuous support to the homeless guests every day. https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/18390096.coronavirus-winchester-churches-nightshelter-continues-help-homeless/
• Who Is Hussain, a Muslim charity, has launched their #40Neighbours campaign in light of COVID-19. Initiatives have included food distributions, as well as delivering hygiene kits, chocolate Easter eggs and flowers to NHS hospitals. https://www.facebook.com/wihlondon/posts/1549485388533081 They have also been distributing hot meals to hotels in Brent for the homeless, meals to the NHS in Surrey and Crawley, and hosted an Eid Food Drive in Trafalgar Square. https://www.facebook.com/wihlondon/posts/1586706444810975
• Islington’s Union Chapel is serving as the host venue and drop-off point for the Homeless COVID-19 Task Force to help support rough sleepers affected by coronavirus in partnership with Islington Council, Museum of Homelessness, Streets Kitchen and others. https://www.unionchapel.org.uk/about-us/community-emergency-response/
• Several churches in west Norfolk have joined an initiative called ‘Angels of Kings Lynn’ to help members of the local community look out for each other. The group has set up a Facebook page, on which contributors have offered to help with shopping, and to assist elderly people who may be struggling. https://www.networknorwich.co.uk/Articles/569276/Network_Norwich_and_Norfolk/Regional_News/West_Norfolk/Norfolk_models_kindness_as_church_leaders_call.aspx
• Second Helpings, a church and community project, will continue to run the Bunker situated in the passageway under the Methodist Church in Stamford while following and implementing Government guidelines. It offers core products which otherwise would go to waste - bread, potatoes, vegetables and fruit. Priority will be given to those faced with food poverty, people in self isolation and medical and emergency services. https://stamford.nub.news/n/coronavirus-crisis-stamford39s-second-helpings-closes-cafe-as-methodist-services-go-online
• The Salvation Army in Blackpool has been supporting the homeless through a lunch stop that has been set up in the car park of the church and community centre. They have been distributing hot and cold lunches to vulnerable members of the town. https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/blackpool-bridge-project-still-offering-hope-those-experiencing-homelessness
• Members of Banbury Mosque have delivered two bottles of milk and a loaf of bread to local residents as a gift from the Mosque. https://www.facebook.com/sadaqaday/posts/1484587438368139
• A small Baptist Church in South Croydon has partnered with Croydon Council and FairShare, a food charity, to create a ‘Food Stop Shop’ to deliver food packages. https://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/573980/Delivering_food_to.aspx?fbclid=IwAR306u7U3gRn3daKxi24z9unQCiHoA-BtW6o7vyf12Hhb7LBz6D54kVRdWU
• Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara in Slough has responded to the lockdown by reinventing itself as an emergency food operation, delivering thousands of meals a day to NHS staff and those most in need. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-52966810/coronavirus-the-sikh-community-kitchen-feeding-thousands https://twitter.com/gmggurdwarauk/status/1239450229881044992
• Altrincham and Hale Muslim Association are offering self-isolation support through food shopping, having a friendly virtual chat, or preparing a meal. https://twitter.com/KhalidAnis/status/1241469606201626626
• Oasis Charitable Trust, a UK-based Christian charity, has launched a national ‘friendship line’ to support those anxious or home alone during the Coronavirus crisis. Rather than acting as an advice line, it is an offer of companionship. Reverend Steve Chalke, the charity’s founder, has said that “kindness and listening are just as vital ‘services’ as health advice or food supplies.” https://www.oasiscommunitylearning.org/news-videos/news/news-details/~board/oasis-news/post/oasis-uk-launches-national-friendship-line-to-support-those-anxious-or-home-alone-during-coronavirus-crisis
• Members of the Hindu Council prepared over a hundred meals to serve to the needy and locked down community. They are also requesting all temples in the UK to organise Food Seva for the needy people in this time of crisis, even by providing uncooked raw foods in their stock if they are unable to cook at their premises. https://twitter.com/hindu_counciluk/status/1244635571953303552
• The Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend has delivering 200 meals a day to NHS staff at Darent Valley Hospital. https://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend/news/sikhs-deliver-400-meals-a-day-to-nhs-staff-and-the-vulnerable-225739/
• Chief Executive of JW3 home-delivered fresh challah and fruit to those self-isolating in north London. https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/jw3-chief-to-deliver-challah-and-fruit-to-community-members-in-self-isolation/
• The Al-Khair Foundation (AKF) teamed up with Bolton’s Urban Outreach to provide more than 35 food parcels to people living in Lambeth Close in Blackburn. The parcels contained long-lasting fruit, vegetables, tinned foods, sugar and tea. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/18353017.coronavirus-faith-charity-deliver-food-parcels-isolated-residents/
• The Salvation Army in Harwich has joined forces with 22 local organisations to launch 'Harwich Helps', which is an organisation offering practical and emotional support via a dedicated helpline to the Harwich community. https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/news/salvation-army-joins-forces-22-local-organisations-launch-harwich-helps-coronavirus-response
• Crossgate Church, Preston has an established network of 17 hubs throughout Preston, each of up to 50 church members. Every hub has a team of telephone volunteers who make sure every single church member is called at least once a week. The hubs are also providing food for vulnerable, isolated and lonely church members and 200 meals are produced each week in the church kitchen. They have also delivered 2,000 flowering plants to friends, neighbours, prison staff, and care homes in Preston to bring joy and a sense of being cared for. https://hopetogether.org.uk/Groups/340513/Church_hubs_bless.aspx
• Gurdwara Aid has launched ‘Project Food Bag’ in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. They have encouraged people not to dump unwanted food, but instead to donate to the project. Food parcels have been created and delivered to more than 1,000 families containing fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, pasta, sugar and other items. The project has also helped to house 40 to 50 international students who have had accommodation issues since the beginning of the lockdown. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/health/coronavirus-covid19/2020/04/22/sikh-charity-helping-people-across-sandwell-amid-coronavirus-crisis/
• Police officers have been working with The Shree Hindu Temple in Leicester to distribute food parcels to vulnerable people in the areas during the coronavirus outbreak. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-london-52412514/page/11
• Central Bristol Quakers have donated the kitchen in their meeting house to help feed the homeless who have been made even more vulnerable by the Coronavirus crisis. https://www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/bristol-quakers-kitchen-for-homeless
• St Joseph’s Welfare and Befriending Service, a project run by local charity Caritas Salford, will drop off more than 80 messages of hope, support, and friendship through the letterboxes of the elderly facing isolation in Manchester. They have also been regularly checking in by phone, collecting shopping for those unable to leave their homes and have delivered meals to over 50 older people. https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/sent-with-love-the-project-ensuring-no-one-is-forgotten-through-covid-19/
• Bradford Hindu Council have been providing home cooked meals to ambulance stations and police stations. https://www.facebook.com/bhcouncil/posts/117100363295675 They have also raised £3470 for Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank. 
• His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS, has issued a call for all worshippers to act in this time of need. More than 580 volunteers are taking part in a nationwide 'Connect and Care' initiative to offer holistic support to the elderly and need in local communities, through services such as public annoucements and publications, phone calls to families across the UK to enquire about their welfare, home delivering daily meals, supporting charitable organisations by delivering more than 75 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables, and more. https://www.questmedianetwork.co.uk/news/tameside-reporter/ashton-temple-steps-forward-for-the-community/
• The 'Day for Life' fund of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has made a donation of £15,000 to Hospice UK’s COVID-19 appeal. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2718917248321374
• The Institute of Jainology has a website page with COVID-19 inspirational stories from the Jain community. http://www.jainology.org/covid19-inspirational-stories
• Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Southall have set up a helpline staffed by professionals who can provide counselling in English, Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. The helpline has been set up to support overseas students, rough sleepers and undocumented migrants, NHS staff, as well as vulnerable groups such as elderly people and those suffering with poor health. They have also delivered parcels of food and essential items, as well as providing takeaway meals. https://www.religionmediacentre.org.uk/blog/selfless-sikhs-step-up-their-seva-to-serve-in-pandemic/
• Frances Hume from Interfaith Scotland is offering spiritual conversations and a listening ear for those people who may be feeling lonely or isolated from any faith tradition by phone or online. If you would like to book a session please email frances@interfaithscotland.org
• St Francis Church in Norwich is offering a service to families who may find it difficult to afford paper and ink to print school work. The church will print up to 50 sides of black and white worksheets or booklets free of charge. https://www.networknorwich.co.uk/Articles/575121/Network_Norwich_and_Norfolk/Partners/faithhopelovenorfolk/Norwich_church_offers_printing_and_perishables.aspx
• Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Bradford raised £1200 for local NHS through online Kirtan hymns and prayers. https://twitter.com/BBCLeeds/status/1255082596935098370
• Worcester Muslim Welfare Association has launched a Ramadan foodbank drive in conjunction with Worcester foodbank to help those most in need in Worcester during the Coronavirus pandemic. They are asking for donations of food including canned meals and fruit, pasta, rice, vegetables, biscuits and snacks. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/regional/18417058.worcester-mosques-coronavirus-food-bank-drive/
• United Sikhs delivered 100 loaves of bread and essentials to Russell's Hall Hospital in Dudley. https://twitter.com/unitedsikhs/status/1246368291876151296
• A Bath based Church has transformed into a makeshift mask factory for NHS workers. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/07/church-opens-doors-transforms-makeshift-mask-factory-nhs-workers/ 
• Revd Jules Williams from St Blazey Church in Cornwall printed up service sheets with ‘Worship from Home’ which were delivered with daffodils and left on doorsteps. https://www.trurodiocese.org.uk/2020/03/clergy-caring-creatively-with-live-streaming-and-daffodils/
• The Cardiff Stake (diocese) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints partnered with local organisations to purchase, assemble and deliver 8,000 hygiene kits to 35 locations across South Wales, including local hospitals, elderly care homes, homeless shelters, and women’s refugee centres. https://news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/welsh-latter-day-saints-partner-with-local-organisations-to-provide-essential-supplies-for-thousands-during-covid-19-crisis
• The Salvation Army Penrith have launched a new meals on wheels initiative named 'Meals At Home' to support the elderly members of the community. Over 100 meals have been cooked and delivered, which take the form of either a three course meal or a picnic style tea. https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/news/meals-home-launches-elderly-community-penrith
• Representatives of the Guru Ka Niwas Gurdwara visited New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton to deliver boxes of food, fruit and vegetables, and soft drinks. They also gave a cheque to the hospital, with a donation of £610 from the members of the Sikh community. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/health/coronavirus-covid19/2020/05/04/wolverhampton-gurdwara-makes-donation-of-food-and-cash-to-hospital/
• The Open Door Baptist Church in Peterborough has continued to operate The Millfield Community Fridge. Before the lockdown, it would open three days a week and serve 60 people per day. Now, it is helping to feed 100 people each day, operating from a table outside the church hall. https://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/575109/It_has_been.aspx?fbclid=IwAR3GtQ8JyxNVnXfCXFivbNnmsMz58qy54YTE_CZBZ6qtB_EUHk-V8nC69Gg
• Volunteers from Exeter Cathedral have been sewing NHS scrubs in response to the pandemic. They have already made 10, with another 14 in progress. https://exeter.anglican.org/sewing-their-support-exeter-cathedral-tapisers-making-nhs-scrubs/
• Faizan e Madina Mosque in Slough have provided hot meals to police officers. https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/18420457.mosque-praised-viral-video-shared-delivering-food-police/?ref=fbshr&fbclid=IwAR18dwAyHRR6YzUK4AYK9Rrz-O_nM5UiVidXV4pJFoAp9vEfqyy20KG0fJU
• Christian churches in Moseley are hosting a virtual iftar for their Muslim friends. Last year, more than 100 people turned up to the Big Iftar hosted by St Mary's and St Anne's Churches. This year, the event is taking place over Zoom and the Church is asking people to sign up online with their address for a delivery of a food package consisting of vegetarian biryani, cake, fruit and dates for the whole family. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/moseleys-big-iftar-bring-christians-18208818
• A new volunteering scheme, Every Mitzvah Matters, has been launched as a way to maintain the good deeds promoted by Mitzvah Day during the pandemic. It will facilitate regular online social action projects for people of all faiths and none to help those in need. A cookery event was held last week hosted by Laura Marks, during which eight leaders from different faiths joined together via Zoom to cook for the vulnerable from their own kitchens. https://www.thejc.com/mitzvahs-are-the-best-recipe-for-aid-during-crisis-1.499414
• The China Committee on Religion and Peace (CCRP) donated 20,000 surgical face masks to Religions for Peace partners in the UK to be distributed to individuals and small organisations.
• The women's Craft Collective of Bridges for Communities are volunteering to sew scrubs and face masks for key workers. 
• Parishioners from Brunswick Church have launched a Covid Crisis Cake Fairies initiative to deliver cakes to the doorsteps of a number of vulnerable or elderly people in the fellowship and community. https://www.brunswickchurch.org.uk/news--events/the-cake-fairies-have-been-at-it-again
• United Reformed Church (URC) members in Chester are preparing freshly cooked meals to be distributed to the vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis. They are also cooking 52 hot main meals every Tuesday, to be collected and delivered directly to homeless individuals currently in hotels during the pandemic. https://urc.org.uk/latest-news/3433-chester-urc-members-prepare-hot-meals-for-the-vulnerable.html 
• Volunteers from the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Warrington have cooked more than 6,000 free meals for NHS staff. https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/18450683.sikh-temple-cooks-6-000-free-meals-nhs-staff/
• Pastor Matthew Murray from Renew Church in Uttoxeter has been delivering pizza for his local takeaway in order to raise money for his local foodbank. 
• The Matthew 25 Centre, which has been operating from Christ Church hall in Eastbourne, are now serving meals from outside the Centre and are following government guidelines to ensure 2m distances in the queuing system between guests. M25M is serving up to 200 meals a day, including daily breakfasts and afternoon meals, food parcels, and evening takeaways on a couple of nights of the week. https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/stories-and-features/church-serves-200-meals-day-during-pandemic
• Members of Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara in Bradford raised £40,000 to donate to Bradford Hospitals' Charity's Intensive Care Unit Fund. https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/bradfords-sikh-community-raises-40k-18245969
• The Suleymaniye Mosque, in collaboration with Haggerston Mutual Aid, delivered over 5,000 hot meals throughout Ramadan to people needing support across Hackney. https://twitter.com/HaggMutualAid/status/1265267012097527810
• Hare Krishna Food For All UK is continuing to offer free hot meal service for people in need to collect from five distribution points in inner London throughout the COVID-19 response. https://www.facebook.com/FoodForAllHQ/posts/704094470296217
• Lincoln Muslim Sisters Forum have made 6 full sets of scrubs, 2 tops and 11 washable scrubs bags as part of their NHS Project. They have also provided hampers for care homes, distributed care bags, provided meals to feed around 400 people, provided food for refuge domestic abuse organisation, provided food for some foodbanks, and provided around 50 lunch boxes to a school. https://www.facebook.com/663250873793159/videos/2942395699189637/? 
• Sewa Day Nottingham have delivered 16,000 meals, delivered 5 tonnes of food to foodbanks, and have helped 105 struggling students. https://www.facebook.com/interfaithnottingham/photos/a.1471675566243394/3011816575562611/?type=3&theater
• Edinburgh Interfaith Association has launched a telephone listening service for care home residents and their families as part of their COVID-19 response. This initiative is being delivered by volunteers, and people from specific faith traditions can be spoken to on request. Please contact Claire on claireattimetotalk@gmail.com for more information. 
• Kilwinning church have knitted more than 3,000 mask extenders in three weeks for NHS staff. https://churchofscotland.org.uk/news-and-events/news/2020/kilwinning-church-knitters-support-nhs
• Local mosques and Muslim charities in Oldham, such as Hussainia Islamic Mission, Jamia Masjid, and Planet Mercy, have been working with other faith and voluntary organisations to provide meals to NHS staff at Royal Oldham Hospital and to deliver food packs to the vulnerable. http://oldhaminterfaith.org.uk/news/post/oldham-mosque-council-celebrates-local-voluntary-organisations-work-during-the-covid-19-crisis
• Brighton and Hove Bahá'í Centre's Junior Youth Group sent letters to NHS staff in hospitals, pharmacies and GPs to appreciate the work they have been doing during the pandemic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APsbh-AWk08
• Building Bridges, Leith, Edinburgh has provided Halal meals to 75-100 individuals and families every week during the pandemic. 
• Monkstown Boxing Club, Northern Ireland have used their pre-existing food bank to start up a soup kitchen, as well as providing food parcels to over 65 pensioners and 40 families a week. 
• Parishioners from Craftfoot Parish Church set up The Pantry, a foodbank that offers food and other essential goods to those in need every week. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/croftfoot-parishioners-help-others-setting-22202301
• The community cafe run from All Hallows Church in Leeds has received an award from the Leeds Civic Trust and has been named a #locallegend for their work to support the local community during the pandemic. The cafe has been offering takeaway food as well as deliveries. It has also acted as a local food hub nd has delivered around 170 council food parcels a week, as well as 250 plates of food a day. https://www.leeds.anglican.org/news/leeds-community-cafe-recognised-locallegend?fbclid=IwAR1zckGx1VojKATnF3mg4Tg_SEPDTjCBKH8e6hUBmWq5mImGnTZeJl_jwWg
• The Islamic Cultural Centre, in collaboration with The London Central Mosque and North Paddington Food Bank, started a project in Ramadan to provide food and essentials to people experiencing hardship during the pandemic. https://www.iccuk.org/news2.php?section=news&page=news227&fbclid=IwAR3FhPN1nGW67xG6_j61YNUdN6G8BLUiBrxvzVSpzJCeRBw6_1tF3jYYNXI
• Latter-day Saints from the Horbury, Dewsbury and Meltham congregations responded to pleas from local hospitals for laundry bags and other PPE items by donating the fabric, buttons and thread needed for the items. https://news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/serving-the-poor-and-needy-during-covid-19
• Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji Gurdwara Middlesbrough, a Sikh community in Teesside, have been preparing 500-600 meals every Thursday to deliver to hospitals, constabularies and the Fire Brigade. https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/its-brought-communities-together-how-18341520?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar
• The Salvation Army collaborated with the newly set up Mail Force charity to distribute 700,000 PPE items to carers in care homes. https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/coronavirus-mail-force-ppe-donation
• Kol Chai Synagogue in Pinner has raised more than £1,000 to supply PPE to front line workers, and has collected donations of sheets and fabric to make masks, scrubs and arm protectors.  An inter faith social action group run out of the synagogue has collectively sewed around 50 of these. https://www.thejc.com/sew-far-so-good-as-north-london-ppe-team-fill-an-nhs-need-1.500669
• The Methodist Church is supporting foodbanks, such as Exeter Food Action. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=510618526287098
• The Muslim Council of Britain published a list of COVID-19 volunteer response initiatives started by Muslim activists and institutions across the UK. https://mcb.org.uk/covid-volunteer-initiatives
• St Mark’s Church in Caia Park in Wrexham, close to the location of recent coronavirus mobile testing units, has issued more than 600 CE approved face shields for anyone in need of PPE. https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/18630480.covid-19-wrexham-church-distributes-ppe-amid-spike-cases/
• The Sikh community in Burton raised more than £1,400 for the Queen’s Hospital Covid appeal. https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/burton/burton-sikhs-donate-hospitals-covid-4302851
• Ashton-Under-Lyne's Hindu temple has helped its local community during the Coronavirus pandemic with a range of charitable acts, helping out at Tameside Hospital, Ashton Police Station and Dukinfield Ambulance service, providing food and supplies alongside letters of appreciation.  They have also been supporting six foodbanks in Tameside South, Denton, Tameside East, Mossley, Droylsden and Stockport by delivering tinned and dry food items and everyday essentials. https://www.questmedianetwork.co.uk/news/tameside-reporter/ashton-temple-steps-forward-for-the-community/
• The Sikh Soup Kitchen has been feeding up to 600 vulnerable, elderly & homeless people every week in the Handsworth area of Birmingham during the pandemic, including providing daily living essentials. https://www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/deputy-pcc-backs-a-project-to-feed-provide-support-to-the-elderly-vulnerable-homeless-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
• Worshippers from Shree Krishan Mandir Hindu temple in Wolverhampton donated £10,000 to The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust following a collection during the COVID-19 crisis. https://www.royalwolverhampton.nhs.uk/media/latest-news/june-2020/temple-donates-10000-to-the-trust/
• The Neighbours Next Door report of the Muslim Charities Forum, published in August, highlights the range of support provided by Muslim organisations, using a wide variety of case studies. It also identifies some of the challenges faced by organisations and local groups during the crisis, and includes recommendations on how any future response can be improved based on what has been learnt during this unprecedented emergency situation. https://www.muslimcharitiesforum.org.uk/covid-19-the-neighbours-next-door-report/
• The British Red Cross report 'Access to food in emergencies: learning from Covid-19', explores #foodinsecurity during pandemic in the UK & policy, practice & guidance. #foodjustice https://www.redcross.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/we-speak-up-for-change/access-to-food-in-emergencies
• Members of the Midland Langar Seva Society in Kettering have joined forces with business and community organisations to provide much-needed food parcels to disadvantaged families across the town. https://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/people/kettering-community-faith-group-seeking-help-county-food-parcel-project-3060420
• Community volunteers, working with the Sikh community in Dorset, have been honoured for their work in delivering food parcels during the lockdown https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/18909831.lockdown-heroes-celebrated-feeding-community/

Last updated: 06/05/2021

Note: IFN's pages on COVID-19 are being updated regularly. Listings may not be exhaustive or include all possible examples, and IFN makes no guarantee as to the accurary of information linked to.