A group for women at New Wortley Community Centre has been busy making a difference in their community during the Coronavirus pandemic. Victoria Kortekaas explains…
During lockdown earlier in the year the women struggled with isolation and felt cut off from the community they had started to build.
When groups were allowed to re-start they put into place a plan for the next lockdown. To continue to meet online via zoom and to contribute to the mental health and wellbeing of those in their community.
Liz, who also attended our weekly volunteer get together, and Margaret another volunteer, wanted to do something to contribute to the community and the idea to create a safety pack to go out to in the local area came about.
The women’s group quickly got on board with the idea of engaging the local community in the plan by asking them to create home-made masks to go into the packs.
The women felt that this would do two things – it would help people who are struggling with the second lockdown giving them a task to do and also hopefully get people to volunteer time to provide masks for community outreach in a creative fun way.
The project has only just started but already by reaching out on social media we have had offers from people who would like to make a mask. We have a limited number of packs available but anyone interested in making a mask can contact Victoria.kortekaas@newwortleycc.org.
The centre provides the materials to make one mask but we are hoping there are people out there who have the time and materials to make more than one and donate them to the centre. The packs are also there for those who just need to make a mask for themselves.
In December the centre will be doing a community outreach project to distribute the safety packs and identify other local women who may benefit from accessing the group and to have a say in their local community.
To find out more about the Women’s Group contact victoria.kortekaas@newwortleycc.org or ring the centre 0113 279 3466.