Throughout the past 18 months we’ve seen first-hand the lasting positive impact community leadership has. It’s our ambition to see more of this happen as we continue to invest in communities across southern England, empowering people to take the lead where they live.
We’re not the only people inspired by community action in the areas where we work, the organisers behind the Tpas Awards are too. At this year’s ceremony they are celebrating Charlotte Blake, who has been shortlisted for Tenant of the Year for her commitment to her community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Communities thrive when the people who live in them do what they can to make it a great place to be. This is how Charlotte went about doing just that.
Charlotte’s story
Charlotte lives in one of our homes in Gosport, a community that we’re investing in to help increase employment and improve health and wellbeing. When the pandemic began, she saw those around her facing challenges and wanted to help get her neighbourhood through the impact of Covid-19. So, Charlotte started her very own food distribution point – literally on her own doorstep – and named it Crisis Food Gosport.
To make sure she could support her neighbours with accessing food, Charlotte gained a Level 5 Environmental Health rating from Gosport Borough Council and built a shed in her front garden equipped with fridges, freezers and shelves. She used her own money, donations and funds raised through auctions, to buy food for those who weren’t in a position to pay for their own.
Charlotte wanted to help as many people as possible, so she advertised on Facebook and lots of families and individuals visited her for support. Her kindness and action inspired those around her too, and she soon had a small team of volunteers to help run Crisis Food Gosport.
While distributing food was the main goal of Charlotte’s project, it wasn’t the only offering. With her own experience and compassion for others, Charlotte offered friendship and kindness at an isolating time. She reintroduced a traditional sense of what community means, enhancing togetherness for all.
Charlotte’s project has had a far-reaching impact. It’s brought her community together and encouraged people to embrace healthy eating. It’s also connected neighbours and inspired meaningful conversations around mental wellbeing.
Since March 2020 Charlotte has provided an incredible 8,000 food parcels to around 2,600 families. Earlier this year Charlotte was successful in securing funding through a Home Office fund that we supported alongside our local partners, enabling her to continue running Crisis Food Gosport. This will provide great support while the community recovers from the impacts of the pandemic.
Charlotte’s story is an inspiring one, and we know there are lots more like hers in communities all across the region. It’s action like this that we’re passionate about supporting, and we’ll continue to do just that long into the future.
Watch this space for more stories from the community soon!
