Since the UK went into lockdown on March 23rd, communities across the length and breadth of the country have been coming together to ensure that those most vulnerable are looked after. With 11 LiFE branches located across the capital, we’ve collated some amazing charities doing their bit to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak from North, South, East and West London.

Firstly, not so much a charity but an innovative online platform, helping local communities go digital. Across the UK and the entire world during this time, social media platforms have become the new norm (if they weren't already), and are being used for either communicating with loved ones, sharing pictures and videos to boost morale, and of course those #ViralChallenges - but one hugely important thing to be birthed out of the COVID-19 outbreak is the spike in Facebook community pages. 

The increase in community Facebook pages is partly due to COVID-19 Mutual Aid, a group of volunteers supporting local community groups organising mutual aid throughout the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK. They have helped thousands of communities set up Facebook pages, which have now, in most places, become a social hub for help. Locate your local COVID-19 Mutual Aid group here.

North London: 

The Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation (AWTF) is a food donation charity that currently helps 75 vulnerable and struggling families in the North London area with food parcels. If you live in and around North London, you may have noticed newly placed pink donation bins, located in N6 and N19. As local food banks are running low, the Foundation is looking towards their local community for donations of non-perishable items, which can be easily placed in their pink food bins. If you live in the area and want to do your bit for the community, click here to learn how.

South London: 

Compliments of the House are a small charity, which collect fresh surplus food and gives to those in need. Due to the current crisis and with London now on complete lockdown, many community services that once provided food to those in need have now closed, meaning community foodbanks are running extremely low on food supplies and are having to reach into their own pockets to create food packages. They urgently require help to ensure that those most vulnerable are taken care of. If you would like to help, you can donate via their Just Giving page here.

East London: 

As a long-standing local charity, West Silvertown Foundation (WSF) connects registered volunteers with those in the local community who need help getting their essential shopping done. With shopping slots now extremely scarce, this is the only way vulnerable community members will receive their weekly shop. 

WSF are also working in partnership with Bonny Downs Community Association (BDCA) to deliver free food parcels to those whose income has been directly affected by the current COVID-19 crisis. If you live in the Royal Wharf/East London area and would like to help, please contact Helen to receive your volunteer pack and get started today. 

West London: 

Ealing Together is a collaboration between local community, voluntary groups, council and residents' associations concerned about the wellbeing of members of their community. It’s vital they receive the support needed to fulfil their daily tasks for the community, such as shopping for and keeping in touch with vulnerable or isolated tenants - it’s these short, daily interactions which go a long way. Ealing Together are on the look-out for more volunteers to help reach more of their community during COVID-19 and beyond. If you’re not currently working or have some free time, and would like to help Ealing Together, register to volunteer here.

UK Mutual Aid is a grassroots group of volunteers from Barnet, who on the 15th March, formed to connect self-isolating residents of their community with volunteers during COVID-19. Since they started they have connected over 700 requests for aid in their local area with a UK Mutual Aid volunteer and other aid providers such as local councils, national agencies and charity organisations. If you'd like to get involved with the fantastic work of UK Mutual Aid, sign up to volunteer here.

These are just a small minority of fantastic charities who are doing their bit during the COVID-19 crisis, however, there are so much more that we couldn’t fit in. If you’d like to help one of your local charities, head to Local Giving, type in your postcode and there you have it, you're one step closer to helping your community.