Charities helping the homeless and women facing abuse in east London are receiving a seasonal cash gift from a firm of lawyers to help get through the Covid Tier 4 restrictions.
The long-established Whitechapel Mission and Women’s Aid are both receiving £2,500 as a share of the £65,000 set aside for homeless charities by the Irwin Mitchell foundation.
The mission in Whitechapel Road has been helping the homeless since 1876, with as many as 600 people a day who come through its doors.
The donation from the foundation will meet immediate needs into the new year.
“This will help provide food and warmth this winter,” Whitechapel Mission’s Tony Miller said.
“We currently help 4,200 people a week, so the support makes a big difference in the busy winter period.”
Contributors look forward to the day their services for the vulnerable would no longer be required, but the mission points out that it has been working towards that goal in the East End for 144 years.
It is now helping increasing numbers of homeless people who don’t have the option to “stay at home” to avoid risk to themselves or others, the charity explains. It has dished out nearly 278,000 free meals during the pandemic.
The funding announced this week is the second time Irwin Mitchell has supported Whitechapel Mission’s service for those on our streets with nowhere to call home.
The lawyers are making the donations after the firm carried out a survey into poverty and homelessness in 2020.
Two thirds of women facing abuse were experiencing worse conditions because of lockdown restrictions or Covid-19, according to Women’s Aid which is also getting cash from the foundation. Three quarters felt that they couldn’t get away as a result of the pandemic.
Cordelia Lodge, from Women’s Aid, said: “This donation will make sure we are able to help women facing domestic abuse. It is important that we are here for those in domestic abuse.”
The pandemic has also led to social challenges facing Women’s Aid which is battling to help survivors of violence who can’t get away from abusive relationships because of lockdown restrictions.
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