Some info on how we organise ourselves -
Our network has over 400 volunteers across Westminster. We are organised into ward level groups. When we get a request for assistance we notify the nearest volunteer group, reducing travel & offering speedy response times.

We ask all our volunteers what languages they speak and offer people needing assistance the option of which language they prefer to communicate in. This has been invaluable to some of the people feeling most isolated in our community.

Our Ward Leads coordinate requests for help in their ward area, matching tasks to our volunteers or directing requestor to other support available. Ward leads keep in touch with each other to share updates and learning.

We make sure people requesting help know about other support available to them, for example Westminster Connects, foodbanks, talking therapies, prescription home delivery, and orgs offering advice with IT / fuel poverty etc. We often provide support until other support kicks in.

We keep in touch with other orgs / groups offering support in the local area, including those addressing homelessness & food poverty. We support each other and work together to make sure people get support as quickly as possible.

Members of our team regularly liaise with the Council & local MP to try to ensure our approach is joined up and to flag the gaps in provision which are apparent from the requests coming through to our mutual aid group.

We try to regularly update our website with new guidance for volunteers and useful resources as new info is published / becomes available.

We are careful to protect personal data. We keep who has access to data to a minimum, including anonymising help task call outs (example ‘someone needs help with shopping in Vincent Square area’). We delete sensitive info when each help task is complete.

Ward leads follow up with both the person who requested help and the volunteers to double check everything went smoothly and to see if further assistance is required.

We are a group of local residents, many of whom work full time, who came together quickly to respond to the impact of the pandemic on our community. Our network of volunteers has a diverse skill set & together we try to apply these as best we can, learning as we go along.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered or supported our efforts and our community in some way so far. We aim to keep going until we are no longer needed.

To volunteer or ask for assistance, please visit our website https://www.westminstermutualaid.co.uk/