As your mayor, my job is to listen to you and be your champion.

Life is tough for all of us right now. Lockdown is a time when we can’t meet our friends, neighbours and families and so many people are worrying about paying their bills.

I have heard from many of you about your struggles and my priority has been to make sure Newham Council supports our community in these awful times.

Newham Recorder: Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz wants residents to stick to Covid-rules as cases increase.Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz wants residents to stick to Covid-rules as cases increase. (Image: Andrew Baker)

That’s why I have been taking action to ensure the council supports all residents, including our most vulnerable, and our families hit hard by the crisis.

We are making a difference by:

  • providing £500 of support per child per year for working families by guaranteeing Eat for Free for all children in Newham primary schools
  • helping people in overcrowded homes to self-isolate by providing hotels for those who have to self-isolate but can’t afford to
  • treating the homeless as people by not just getting them off the streets during the crisis, but providing them with training, support and understanding that they need to change keep them in a home.

I am proud of the way our community has stood together since the pandemic. Newham Council has supported voluntary groups to distribute 264,000 food parcels to vulnerable residents.

With so many people struggling financially, I have asked the council to do more by setting up a Covid-19 Hardship Relief Fund to help people hardest hit who cannot pay this week’s food bill.

It appals me that children in London should ever go hungry, so I have teamed up with some of the world’s leading food experts to help me make sure that our young people never wake up worrying if they will get a square meal.

And please know this: If you:

  • have lost your job, we’re here for you
  • are struggling financially, we can help you
  • are a local business owner, we’re working night and day to get business grants to you.

All of us here at the council are here to help you, your loved ones and families.