The United Reformed Church

Lockdown has been hard on many communities and households but as we move beyond our restricted lives, what needs to change and what needs to remain? asks Mal Breeze, a Church Related Community Worker from Blackburn.

What does it mean to be a Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) especially in a time when many neighbourhoods have had to batten down the hatches during a global crisis? Some CRCWs admit that they have been busier than ever during this pandemic while others feel more cut off, isolated and left with the reality that they are unable to use their skills, which are often focused on highlighting injustice and enabling those who perhaps do not have a voice, by providing the tools to help make things better.

This month we hear from Maria J.Y. Lee, a Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) based in Chelmsford. Maria and her CRCW team have been supporting the members of 'Good Companions', a dementia-friendly group which benefits people who suffer from dementia and aims to improve the quality of life for older members of the community.

Maria explains what happens to those vulnerable and elderly individuals who suddenly find themselves isolated due to a global pandemic and how her team has been reaching out to them.

Identifying food poverty isn’t as obvious as it seems. Sometimes those, who suddenly find themselves in financial difficulty, don’t know where to turn or how to access the right support. The impact of Covid19 on household income has had a catastrophic effect for some and has been (and continues to be) very troublesome for many. It has become a stark reality that we are now seeing families, who never dreamt they would be seeking help, turning to foodbanks much more regularly.