Army of 1,500 volunteers sign up to MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan’s Tooting Together service, helping vulnerable people during the coronavirus outbreak

By Sian Bayley, Local Democracy Reporter

More than 1,500 people have joined together to help their neighbours out during the coronavirus crisis, doing everything from shopping to delivering board games, or even just having a chat.

Mhairi Cosgriff, 28, works as a lawyer but is now also an area lead for the volunteer hub Tooting Together, set up by local MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan.

Now working from home, Mhairi said she had been able to get more involved in the community by managing a team of volunteers covering 25 roads in the area and helping to match volunteers to requests from residents.

She said the team was “definitely getting busier”.

She said: “We’ve had whole households, with people who are usually fit and healthy, but one might be showing symptoms or think they’ve got it so they need help just getting food shops in.

“We also have a local guy suffering from MS, who needs regular help with shopping, so we’ve set up a rota to support him on a weekly basis for however long he needs it.

“We’ve even had a request from nurses who needed help washing their uniforms. We’re here for anyone who has been affected and needs a bit of extra support,” she said.

“It’s really shown how many people are willing to step up in the community and help people who are vulnerable and need more assistance.”

Youth worker Stephen Matthews, 40, is an area co-ordinator for Tooting Together.

He said: “Obviously, with everything that’s happened, we’ve had to close the youth centre. I’ve got a lot of time on my hands at the moment and want to serve my community.”

He said his team mainly focuses on picking up prescriptions, going shopping and having a chat with those who are isolating.

He said: “Some people have messaged saying they haven’t seen their neighbour for a few days, so we have been able to send a volunteer round to give them a knock and see if they’re OK, let them know we’re there, and pass on the number.

“People are sharing board games if people are locked-in, and can’t get out to entertain the kids. It’s been really, really good.”

Speaking about the initiative, Dr Allin-Khan said she was “proud” of Tooting’s “community cohesion”.

She said: “These are very worrying times for our community, our country, and indeed for the whole world. The coronavirus crisis is extremely serious and our only priority must be protecting lives.

“It’s vitally important that we have a community focus – we need to be ensuring that people’s mental health doesn’t suffer, that already vulnerable and lonely people aren’t any worse off, and that our emergency service workers can still get to work.

“In times like these, we all have to stick together as a community and help each other as much as we can. We will get through this together.”

Call 0808 168 5339 if you would like to help.

Pictured top: Mhairi Cosgriff, area co-ordinator of Tooting Together