Vulnerable residents in the East End are to be given extra help keeping warm in the winter thanks to a cash boost secured by the borough Council.

Tower Hamlets, in conjunction with six others in east London, has secured £610,000 funding from the Department of Health.

The cash is to be used to try to prevent winter deaths among elderly and vulnerable residents, through emergency heating repairs, hot meals, energy efficiency improvements and advice.

Tower Hamlets Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing Cllr Abdul Asad said: “Winter can be a tough time for residents and we have been working closely with partner organisations to ensure they are able to get the help and support they need to get through the cold months.”

The campaign is being run in conjunction with Muslim Aid after the success of the partnership in previous years, when 300 staff were trained to become ‘affordable warmth champions’.

Their training equipped them to make referrals and direct high risk residents to support services, with more staff to be trained this year.

Pensioners’ charity Age UK is also involved in the project, providing handy man services to ensure heating systems are programmed effectively and provide warm kits, containing blankets, kettles, thermals and hot water bottles.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman described the programme as “an important initiative, allowing us to work together and provide support to vulnerable residents this winter”.