Having vaccination is a kindness

Cllr Khaled Noor, chair, Muslim Professionals Forum, writes:

The virus can affect anyone – regardless of their immigration status or whether they have a home. It is important that everyone can access the vaccine, to protect the whole community.
More than that, however, it should be a basic human right to access healthcare – and we welcome and support this campaign which seeks to make the paper policy a reality.

It is important that Muslim organisations swing behind this campaign to send out the signal that it is a call from all communities in the UK. We urge Muslim professionals to sign up their Mosques, community organisations and their professional organisations.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told us “Allah is kind, and He loves kindness in all matters”. It is up to the Muslim community to show kindness in action at this difficult time and ensure that #VaccinesForAll swiftly becomes a reality – in the UK and across the world. Please sign up to show your support.

No plan for fee to drive into capital

Dr Alison Moore AM, Labour’s London Assembly transport spokesperson, writes:

Some points of clarification are needed on Iain Duncan Smith’s claim that drivers will face up to £33 a day to journey into central London.

Firstly, at this moment in time, there are no concrete or confirmed plans to place a Greater London Boundary Charge upon motorists living outside the capital. This is just one of several ideas, in the very early stages of discussion, aimed at plugging the huge shortfall in TfL’s finances left by the pandemic.

For now, as the preferred solution, the mayor and cross-party members of the London Assembly have called on the government to allow London to keep the £500m of Vehicle Excise Duty it generates each year.

This money is all currently spent on roads outside the capital.

The ULEZ charges, which have been well publicised for many years now, will also only affect around one in five vehicles - which are the most polluting on our roads.

These charges will be in place to clean up the capital’s toxic air which contributes to the premature deaths of thousands of Londoners each year.

Give up chocolate to help the BHF

Newham Recorder: BHF is encouraging people to give up sugary snacks for MarchBHF is encouraging people to give up sugary snacks for March (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Emma Day, head of Dechox, British Heart Foundation, writes:

This March, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) is encouraging the British public to take on their Dechox challenge and give up chocolate and other sugary snacks for the month of March. Dechox Warriors will help to raise life-saving funds for the 7.6 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases.

A recent survey carried out by the BHF, revealed that biscuits were the UK’s favourite sugary snack (42 per cent), closely followed by chocolate (41pc). With the findings demonstrating just how important biscuits and chocolate are to us, giving them up will be no easy feat.

Covid-19 has cut our future research funding in half, so we need your donations to carry on funding medical breakthroughs into heart and circulatory diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and vascular dementia.

  • Please join the thousands of other people across the UK who have already signed up to Dechox and say no to chocolate for the month of March: bhf.org.uk/dechox

Donate coffee price to Barnardo’s

Lynn Gradwell, director, Barnardo’s London Region, writes:

Children and families need your help more than ever - donate your daily commute or coffee.

As the coronavirus crisis worsens, more and more vulnerable children and young people are feeling the effects of repeated lockdowns, uncertainty and isolation. The impact of the second wave is pushing a generation of the most vulnerable children in our country into a downward spiral of deprivation.

We at the leading children’s charity Barnardo’s are asking people to donate what would have been the cost of their usual daily commute or coffee to support these children and their families, so they can deal with the immediate challenges they are facing today.

The cost of an average coffee would provide a child with a hot meal and a drink. With your help we can deliver the practical and emotional support families in crisis need.

Run the marathon for Macmillan

Lynda Thomas, CEO Macmillan Cancer Support and London Marathon runner (2018), writes:

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a complete beginner, taking on an event like the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon is a huge personal challenge.

Macmillan - who are hugely proud to be the official 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon Charity of the Year – would love to invite your readers to consider joining #TeamMacmillan and run for us – and those living with cancer - in October. There is still time to apply for a Macmillan charity place or sign up to the Virtual Virgin Money London Marathon.