Volunteers bid to encourage homeless to take up Covid jabs

They go out each Monday in search of destitute men and women outside Underground stations, handing out food and encouraging them to get their Covid jabs.

Organiser Muhi Mikdad said he fears that the homeless "are being forgotten".

He added: “We find at least 50 homeless people a day, mostly unvaccinated. Sometimes it's up to 100 outside busy stations like Bethnal Green or Stratford and almost as bad at Shadwell.”

Volunteers set up food stall at Stratford for the homeless (Image: Muhi Mikdad)

The father-of-two from Stepney Green is a St John Ambulance trained volunteer who has been working shifts at the London Stadium’s pop-up vaccine clinic in Stratford administering vaccines.

He was giving up to 80 vaccines a day during the peak inoculation campaign earlier this year, but has now found fewer people turning up.

Food stall for the homeless set up at Shadwell (Image: Muhi Mikdad)

“The virus still out there,” Muhi said. “We need to raise awareness and make sure these people get their vaccine. We are sending a message that the pandemic is far from over.”

Island Network members are now trying to reach out to homeless people to take up jabs.

Muhi has six volunteers who set up a food stall outside a selected Underground station every Monday morning.

His network of volunteers, originally set up last year to reach isolated households in the East End, still makes up to 1,000 deliveries every week to families and lone pensioners.

“We are now looking for the homeless and have to work out where to set up our food stall,” Muhi added.

His volunteers get donations of cereals, dried produce and tinned foods from supermarkets and other traders including cash-and-carry stores and even corner grocery shops, all chipping in to help feed those in need.