More than 400 residents in the Lodge Lane area have benefitted from donations to ensure they have warm clothes and bedding for the winter.
The clothes distribution followed an outreach programme carried out by Healthy Homes. Properties were identified which posed health risks to residents. Landlords were instructed carry out all necessary remedial works and homeowners were given information about home safety improvements.
Referrals were also made to health, social and welfare services to address any needs identified.
But it was also recognised the neighbourhood also has many residents who are living in poverty and to address the immediate needs of some of these families it was necessary to ensure that they had appropriate winter clothing.
Healthy Homes consulted with Harthill Youth Centre who see many of the Romanian and Czech young people in the area, an appeal was raised across the council to request donated clothing and bedding and the Youth Centre raised an appeal in the community.
Trading Standards arranged for HIS Church Charity to get involved and they donated re-branded counterfeit clothing. An event was arranged In the United Reformed Church on Earle Road to give the items away to the community.
Healthy Homes worked with Romanian interpreter Anamaria Boda to identify families in need and invite them to the event
Harthill Youth Centre engaged their young people in promoting the event to everyone in the community.
In just two hours hundreds of residents attended the event to choose and take the items t they needed. They were particularly grateful for the children’s shoes and coats, all of which were taken. As a result of this the appeal has been extended and Healthy Homes are asking that people continue to donate children’s coats.
All remaining items were distributed to the Whitechapel Centre for homeless people.
