During the Covid-19 pandemic, West Gorton Community Centre became one of our major support hubs for Ardwick and Longsight Mutual Aid Group. They provided space for our dry food operations, co-ordinated special Eid parcels, carried out the Fareshare food run at times and provided additional essentials whenever we needed them. They've also provided food packages for many of the requests in the West Gorton area, that came through the mutual aid group phone line and also helped to deliver food parcels to Ardwick and Longsight via the operations at ARMR store.
Heather, Chris and Clowes St. Associates have been an incredible support to us so we wanted to share more about what else they've been doing to support their community.
About Heather and WGCC...
Heather works is the chair at West Gorton Community Centre managing all the operations with the support from Chris and Associates who volunteer most of their time to support the surrounding neighbourhoods.
WGCC usually hold regular events for the community such as bingo club, coffee days, knitting clubs, Councillors surgeries, Christmas lunches and various events for the children.
The group is community led (solely run by volunteers) and looks to provide “anything that the community wants to do”. West Gorton Community Centre is such a flexible, versatile space with kitchen and even lift access. It's been many things to many people.
During the lock down the usual activity of the group had to stop. However, Heather and Chris have continued to help their community by turning the space into a food bank, which is reliant on donations of food from locals and funding via the support of Forever Manchester.
It was through Amna (Councillor for Ardwick) that WGCC came together with many other partners and volunteers which made up the Mutual Aid Group becoming a useful platform for knowledge and connections.
West Gorton Community Centre Building located on 13 Haverford Street M12 5HX
Photos of West Gorton Community Events taken before the pandemic
(Click on pic to view more)
Photo by Mark Waugh
Heather was asked to do a speech at the opening of the 'Sponge Park' in the Summer.
The community park in West Gorton will help to tackle the effects of climate change with it's rain garden and will also benefit the locals and the environment.
Heather with our volunteers at ARMR store dropping off food supplies for the parcels
Chris (who runs the WGCC with Heather) doing the rounds at the cash and carry
One of their highlights was when MP Afzal Khan came to WGCC to help out with the special Eid Parcels and seeing the gratitude from the families.
Through the Summer WGCC have provided daily lunch packs with books, arts, crafts and activities for children. (Click on pic to view more)
WGCC plan to do children's lunch packs again for the half term
Monday, October 26, 2020
We asked Heather and Chris what the future plans were for WGCC...
"Our main focus at the moment is to continue to support our community by providing a weekly food hub for local members who join up and the upcoming half term lunch packs for the kids.
In the background we have been applying for more funding and always require support with applications as they can't always be granted. We are fully equipped with all the licences, policies and certificates that are needed to be a registered charity.
We would love to set up events again for everyone and even have plans for a sensory area for the kids but we will have to see how things pan out with the Covid situation.
We are finally registered with Fareshare but still need support with other areas of the Community Centre such as getting the computer room back up and running again when possible then we can set up Computer skills workshops."
Chris preparing food bags at WGCC Food Hub
West Gorton Food Hub
Every Wednesday 11am - 1pm
Membership £5 (per year)
£4 per food bag (as many bags as you need)
If anyone is interested please email: clowesstreetta1211@gmail.com
PLEASE NOTE COVID-19 RULES APPLY
What advice would you give to someone wanting to volunteer?
"Volunteers are always needed and it's a great experience which could lead to other things. We have opportunities at WGCC and all they would have to do is to go through the registering process with us."
To follow West Gorton Community Centre:
@westgortoncommunityroom
@Clowes street tenants and residents association
West Gorton Community Centre Food Parcel Helpline
0800 234 6123
For Heather and Chris it's a way of life helping their community, treating everyone as their own family and knowing their needs. It is clear to say that they really do care a lot about people and are the driving force in keeping everyone connected, supported and most of all happy.
Thank you to Heather, Chris and all the members of the Clowes Street Association that spend endless amounts of time providing for their neighbours and also the surrounding communities.
Thank you for your partnership within the Mutual Aid Group and long may it continue.
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