How Sheffield communities are supporting each other during coronavirus crisis

With many people coming to the realisation that the current situation may soon become the ‘new normal’, dozens of so-called ‘mutual aid’ groups have sprung up in the city.

The biggest, Sheffield Mutual Aid, was set up just last week but already has 5,000 members, and has spawned dozens of neighbourhood groups all over the city.

The groups are a place where residents can both offer help and receive it, and they have quickly become a lifeline for many people.

Sheffield Mutual Aid organiser Bevan Lal, who is one of the admins of the group, said it was ‘heartening’ so many people wanted to get involved.

He said: “Mutual aid is a concept with a long history and a group of us felt that the current situation demanded a response on those lines.

“We have a city-wide group that is attracting lots of members but we are seeing the organising work happening at a much more local level.

“Neighbourhood groups have sprung up in which local activities such as street-level subgroups are being coordinated. The citywide group funnels people to these neighbourhood groups.

“We hope that during the public health emergency these community groups will help people stay safe, by providing access to essential goods and keeping people connected and feeling valued.”

On Thursday, group members delivered medicines to a couple in Manor, and baby food to parents in Burngreave.

There have also been hundreds of messages from people offering to go shopping for elderly and disabled people, or go dog-walking for those who need to self-isolate.

But Bevan said that as well as the groups helping keep people physically well, they were equally important in terms of people’s mental health.

He said: “A regular friendly phone call or online video chat could be just as vital to somebody as a bag of groceries.

“Even those who are self-isolating for whatever reason can chat to others on the phone or online, so anybody can get involved in this way.”

Organisers say as well as the mutual aid groups, community food organisations such as Foodhall, Food Works, Shipshape and Open Kitchen Social Club are already trying to work out how best to supply prepared meals at home to those who need them.

And they added they also hoped to address the problem of 'holiday hunger' after the schools are closed by helping feed children whose parents can’t afford to.

But they said that safety remained a priority for those helping and receiving help alike, and they advised people to be careful with both their health and their money.

“We are keeping up to date with the latest public health guidance and trying to help groups carry out this work as safely as possible,” added Bevan.

“For the sake of everyone's peace of mind, we advise groups never to enter people's homes or take money upfront for goods."

Sheffield Mutual Aid can be found on Facebook.