Looking for help or need help because of Covid-19?

LAST UPDATED: 11 JUNE

Below is a collection of great resources for the Kensal, Queens Park, Brondesbury, Willesden & Kilburn areas, including links into all the local WhatsApp support groups.

We have also created separate sections on Foodbanks, the new "Gift Your Neighbour" initiative, and ways to support local businesses.

GETTING HELP

Every home in our area will now have had a leaflet which looks like one or more of the above.

They are from neighbours via newly-formed "mutual aid" networks or from residents associations such as Queens Park Residents' Association (QPARA), the Kensal Rise Residents Association (KRRA), Kensal Triangle (KTRA), APRATA, BRAT (Brondesbury) supported by Ward Councillors.

Great local charities such as Elders Voice may also have been in touch.

These neighbours and organisations all want to help: to make sure no-one feels or is alone during the stressful and difficult time ahead with Covid. Everyone should feel they can easily call on a friendly neighbour and get practical help or advice.

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Here are key ways to get help:

1. BRENT COUNCIL

Brent Council has a number of key numbers to call in the flyer below (which was posted to every Brent household in April).

You can find all kinds of info about emergency childcare, discretionary housing payments, local welfare assistance, Council Tax support as well as Covid-related advice regarding disabled people, young people, older people, homeless, foodbanks, specific cultural needs, extra advice & support by clicking here.

There have also been announcements about local business support.

2. HELP FROM NEIGHBOURS

There is a super-friendly and ultra-local network of neighbours who have volunteered to help.

There are now thousands of them organised on WhatsApp Groups (see below), Facebook, Next Door to help anyone that wants some help, with anything.

Their help is free. They will not ask to enter your home or for ask for money.

It's a great idea to join one of their social media groups so you can get to know people really near to you - so when and if you do need help you already know who to ask!

Many of the support Groups are organised around Ward boundaries, the names of which are below Don't worry about contacting the 'wrong' one - we'll find you someone across the road who will help, whether friendly chat or getting free food or helping with shopping.

The groups are not Council-linked but they can quickly help you get support from Brent Council services (see above).

The links for the WhatsApp groups for each of the below are available by emailing or calling any of them.

QUEENS PARK

qpmutualaid@gmail.com.

'Queens Park Covid Mutual Support Group' - Facebook

WhatsApp Group: available by emailing the above.

KENSAL GREEN

0208 638 8291

kensalgreenaid@gmail.com

'Kensal Green Mutual Aid Group' - Facebook .

WhatsApp Group: available by emailing the above.

BRONDESBURY

covidaid.brondesburypark@gmail.com

WhatsApp Group: available by emailing the above.

WILLESDEN

willygmutualaid@gmail.com.

WhatsApp Group: available by emailing the above.

KILBURN

kilburnaid@gmail.com

@Aidkilburn - twitter

WhatsApp Group: available by emailing the above.

HARLESDEN

WhatsApp Group: available by contacting 07956 311 876.

MAPESBURY

mapesburyMutualAid@gmail.com

WhatsApp Group: available by emailing the above.

If you live in the Queens Park Residents' Association (QPARA) area, you will also have received the attached leaflet with point people for various roads, offering their phone numbers and email addresses.

You obviously do not need to join a WhatsApp group therefore to contact the QPARA neighbours.

Amanda will also help anyone living in the Kensal Triangle area via 07905 001 099.

SAFETY

Mutual Aid volunteers will generally not have been DBS checked etc but will be known to the group and will never enter a home.

If asking a volunteer to do shopping we are looking at ways of making payments if you would prefer not to do a bank transfer (we would strongly discourage use of cash).

3. BRILLIANT CHARITIES & OTHER LOCAL GROUPS

Elders Voice on Mortimer Rd, Kensal Green, are also offering their helpline 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri. Call Anna on: 0208 206 7500 or Jenny (0208 206 7507), Lynn (0208 206 7503).

Salusbury World, the fantastic local refugee support group is currently closed at Salusbury School but its 100+ volunteers are going to be available across the community effort over the next few weeks. And refugee communities can connect them for any emergency via kensalqueenspark@gmail.com.

Our section on walk-in support (Rumi's Cave, Ashford Place, The Granville) or referral foodbanks is on this separate page.

More useful numbers for Government, NGO or charity help can be found by clicking here.

VOLUNTEERING

There are many ways you can help.

You can donate time, money, or simply follow, share and like key organisations on social media so they can connect with more people!

1. BRENT COUNCIL COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS (CVS)

Brent Community Volunteer Service (cvsbrent.org) are the Council's go-to organisation and would LOVE to hear from you!

They can connect to a huge range of fantastic local causes, incuding the charities and community organisations working in the front-line against the disruption of Covi-19.

This includes disabled people (Mencap, Young People (Young Brent Foundation), Older People (Age UK & Elders Voice), homeless (Crisis), foodbanks (Sufra), people with specific cultural needs (Step Up Hub) and people that need extra support (Brent Citizens Advice Bureau).

They can also fast-track DBS appplications.

They are calling for all volunteers to email info@cvsbrent.org.uk or call 020 3011 1690 so they can help connect people with groups to get help to people that most need it in Brent.

2. JOIN A MUTUAL AID GROUP

Thousands of neighbours have joined these informal networks.

A great place to find out what's happening is

Facebook's Brent Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group - a brilliant 'live' local resource.

QUEENS PARK, KENSAL, BRONDESBURY, WILLESDEN, KILBURN AREA

The "mutual aid" movement has succeeded in rapidly connecting people in our area.

Leafleting of every road has already happened and volunteers have drawn up password-protected google docs of different volunteers who have offered to help in different ways.

CAN YOU HELP?

First, find out your Ward by typing your postcode here: bit.ly/BrentWards.

If emailing or joining a group you will be asked to fill out a volunteer form so we can verify who you are and make sure we know your availability.

All data is being treated confidentially by very small admin tea who will not share or use your data for anything other than mutual help. You can read policies he Volunteers will never ask or enter homes.

OUR AREA'S MUTUAL AID GROUPS

QUEENS PARK MUTUAL AID

You can also find 'Queens Park Covid Mutual Support Group' on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/queensparkmutualaid or email qpmutualaid@gmail.com.

BRONDESBURY

'Brondesbury Mutual Aid Group' can be reached at covidaid.brondesburypark@gmail.com.

KENSAL GREEN

'Kensal Green Mutual Aid Group' can be reached at https://www.facebook.com/KensalGreenMutualAid or 0208 638 8291 or via kensalgreenaid@gmail.com.

WILLESDEN

'Willesden Mutual Aid Group' can be reached at willygmutualaid@gmail.com.

KILBURN

'Kilburn Mutual Aid Group' is at kilburnaid@gmail.com and @Aidkilburn on twitter.

WHATSAPP - asking and offering help

There are Ward WhatsApp Groups and road groups so every neighbour knows they have access to help and can ask near neighbours for help! The links to join a group are available by contacting the Ward admins at the email addresses above.

WhatsApp Ward Groups (NW6/NW10/NW2)

Queens Park Ward:
Kensal Green Ward:
Brondesbury Park Ward:
Harlesden Ward:
Willesden Green Ward:
Kilburn Ward:
Mapesbury Ward:

Brent - other

Fryent & Queensbury Wards:
Welsh Harp Ward:
Preston Ward:
Sudbury Ward:
Wembley Central & Tokyngton Wards:
Alperton Ward:
Dollis Hill Ward:
Dudden Hill Ward

NOTE - be mindful that you are sharing your phone number with a wider group and, by joining, you opt-in to that being ok. Anyone joining will be asked to identify themselves by an admin and any collected name/address data will be password-protected by a small admin group. More info is here.

MINI-TEAMS

A number of WhatsApp mini-groups to support the above have also been forming.

These are brilliant because it keeps things ultra-local and there should be less people on them, The same safeguarding rules will apply.

If you do not see your road below or would like to form an even smaller group, we would encourage you set one up and we can help make other neighbours aware of it!

Brondesbury Park Ward Mini Teams & Admins

BRONDESBURY (Emma)

(Aylestone Ave, Alverstone, Brondesbury Pk Station to High Rd), Chudleigh Rd, Coverdale Rd (also covered by Chatsworth residents group), Honeyman Close, Manor House Drive, Milverton Road, Staverton Road, Sidmouth Road)

CAVENDISH (Nick)

(Cavendish Road, Cavendish Close)

ST. HILDA’S + CHRISTCHURCH WEST (Cosima)

(St. Hilda’s Close, Christchurch Road from Aylestone Ave to Brondesbury Park)

CLEMENT CLOSE (Adam)

LEXI EAST (David/Giles)

(Crediton Road, Dundonald Road, Hanover Road, Henley Road, Okehampton Road, Mountpleasant Road, Tiverton Road)

MOUNT PLEASANT RD (James)

THE AVENUE + WRENTHAM (Sheery)

(The Avenue, Wrentham Avenue)

THE GARDENS (Gia)

(Hardinge Road, Leighton Gardens, Donnington Gardens, Egerton Gardens, Trevelyn Gardens, Irwin Gardens, Amery Gardens, Phillimore Gardens, Chelmsford Square)

DOBREE ESTATE (Nick)

(Donnington Rd, Peter Ave, Dobree Ave, Chambers Lane, Bryan Ave, Rowdon Ave)

WILLESDEN LANE NORTH (Emilie)

Willesden Lane (Wrentham to High Road)

ROSEDENE (Tracey)

Queens Park Ward sub-groups

Queens Park Ward is also now divided into seven sub-groups - see pic below - to help everyone organise more effectively:

Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Orange, Black (Black Group is the same as Lexi East above)

To join a WhatsApp Group for one of the areas above (red, yellow, green, blue, purple, orange, black) please enquire at https://chat.whatsapp.com/InRvopV6bDN8xWpEMnwt or by emailing qpmutualaid@gmail.com.

Queens Park Residents Association (QPARA)

The Queens Park Residents Association (QPARA) has also leafleted roads offering support.

They have provided contact points for all roads and welcome further volunteers. qparainfo@gmail.com

Kensal Green sub-groups

Kensal Green is calling for a wide range of volunteers for the "Street Heroes" areas shown on the map below

As with all the WhatsApp groups, for safeguarding reasons, Elaine and the friendly team require someone to fill out a volunteer form first. Check out their fast-growing Facebook Group to see what else is going on in the Ward.

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Kensal Triangle (KRTA)

The always-very proactive Kensal Triangle Association (KRTA) has also leafleted within its area with Amanda having organised volunteers offering any level of friendly support to residents who can call her on 07905 001 099.

4. Support a local foodbank or food kitchen

Click here for great ways to help local Foodbanks and many great food service initiatives for the vulnerable.

"STREETGROUPS" WHATSAPP GROUPS

There are also existing WhatsApp groups for the following roads in the Kilburn & Brondesbury area.

These are not "mutual aid" or Residents' Associations and have not been created as a response to Covid. They do not have the same rules about the same data or safeguarding rules as mutual aid groups organising volunteers but are a very social and informal way for neighbours to get to know and help one another.

To join one of the roads which is part of this network you can ask a neighbour to join or email George Latham and Keith Anderson on streetgroups@mistral.co.uk.

Aldershot Road

Algernon Road

Brondesbury Road

Brondesbury Villas

Buckley Road

Callcott Road

Charteris Road

Donaldson Road

Douglas Road

Esmond Road

Glengall Road

Hartland Road

Harvist Road

Hazelmere Road

Honiton Road

Kempe Road

Kenilworth Road

Keslake Road

Kingsley Road

Lynton Road

Opal Mews

Plympton Road/Avenue

Priory Park Road

Summerfield Avenue

Tennyson Road

Torbay Road

Victoria Road

Winchester Avenue

5. Join the NHS "army"!

The health service in England has put out a call for volunteers to help medical staff with tasks such as: delivering medicines from pharmacies; driving patients to appointments; bringing them home from hospital; and making regular phone calls to check on people isolating at home.

More than 500,000 people have already signed up. More details are on the NHS England website and we are hoping Brent CVS can advise more on what the need is locally.

6. Support our local businesses - our #loveLocal campaign

They need us now more than ever. And we want to preserve local jobs and our unique high streets.

We've created a #loveLocal campaign page to try and capture the best of our local businesses and freelance community to help them through this very difficult period.

The page is full of great local ways to shop and help keep money in our local economy - please let us know of anyone missing from this and we'll update!!!! We're also keen to add any online PT, music lessons etc.