Liverpool business community shows fighting spirit as it rallies together to help some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Report by Jennie Lewis
Small businesses across Liverpool have been badly hit by the coronavirus crisis but that hasn’t stopped them reaching out to the vulnerable and people unable to leave their homes.
Services on offer range from the delivery essential goods such as food and cleaning products, to providing guidance to business owners and even health and fitness advice to help people stay active at home. Here a a few examples:
Pathway Homes
Property investment and development company, Pathway Homes, which specialises in the supported living and social housing sectors, has been donating food and other essential items for hampers which are being delivered directly to vulnerable members of the communities in which they operate.
Working alongside its charity partner Creative Change Housing, the team is delivering non-perishable items such as tea, coffee and tinned goods, as well as hand wash, cleaning products and hygiene products to the elderly and those who cannot leave their houses.
Mandy Jamieson, senior housing officer at Creative Change Housing Management, said: “I would like to thank Pathways Homes for donating essential items to our tenants who are quite vulnerable and are self-isolating due to the corona virus; such as tins, cereals, toiletries, dry food that does not go off, toilet rolls, anything that will support our tenants to get through this distressing situation.
“We can get through this together by supporting each other and we need your help, so please try and help by donating even the smallest of items will help someone.”
If you would like to donate contact amanda@cchousing.co.uk
The Paper Cup Project
Liverpool-based charity The Paper Cup Project has been taking to the streets to encourage our city’s rough sleepers to stay clean.
The charity comprises a group of volunteers who work tirelessly all year round offering food, hot drinks and clothes to Liverpool’s homeless community. They also offer support and advice and signpost people towards the right services and support.
In the last two weeks they have been on the streets giving out hand wipes, soap and other hygiene products.
Michelle Langan who runs the charity said: “The homeless have been very calm, very measured, and they are all too aware of what is happening. We are trying to encourage anyone still out on the streets to get into accommodation – the council has plans in place to ensure everyone is inside so they are safe.
“Initially we were worried how the homeless would cope if they caught the virus – but we are beginning to feel much more reassured that there is a plan in place.”
Kerry’s Fitness
A number of health and wellness professionals have taken to social media to provide guidance on how to stay fit and well at home. One such individual is Kerry Russell of Childwall-based Kerry’s Fitness.
Kerry has developed a downloadable fitness and nutrition plan for her clients and is delivering online fitness sessions via Zoom three times a day, at 10am, 3pm and 6pm.
Kerry says: “As a fitness professional, what I do usually involves a high level of contact with my clients and visitors to our studio. My team and I at the studio realised early on that we would need to adapt to this situation as it escalated.
“The fitness programme I am delivering via Zoom is not only about maintaining physical fitness, but also about managing mental health during this stressful period. Many of my clients will admit that their training schedule is as much about mental wellness as physical wellness.
“It is also about trying to maintain a sense of community. I am proud to have built a very strong and loyal community at Kerry’s over the years, so delivering live, rather than pre-recorded sessions into people’s homes daily is an attempt to keep us all in touch and spirits raised.”
For more information contact Kerry directly on Instagram @kerrys_fitness_
Duke Street Market
The team behind Duke Street Food and Drink Market opened its foyer last week to house an industry drop off point for struggling hospitality workers during the Coronavirus outbreak.
They are urging people local to the Liverpool area to donate non-perishable goods including dried and tinned foods, toiletries and long-life items to help those who may be struggling during this uncertain time.
Matt Farrell, one of Duke Street Market’s directors, said: “Duke Street Market’s foyer will be open as an industry drop off point and guests can donate anything they think that will help someone in need. They will be able to leave the goods in an area and have no contact with staff at the market to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
“We really hope that the people of Liverpool can pull together to help those who are struggling.”
Duke Street Market is based at 46 Duke Street in Liverpool city centre.
The Secret Warehouse
Based in the docklands in north Liverpool, The Secret Warehouse is a business hub with a difference. The Secret Warehouse calls itself an “inspirational and motivational business centre based on the law of attraction”.
During the coronavirus crisis the team has been positing a stream of positive and valuable information via Instagram, keeping people up to date with community notices, closures, travel and transport information, volunteering projects, job opportunities and key information for businesses.
Check out their feed here @thesecretwh