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The grassroots group taking on a citywide challenge
It was a week before lockdown when a small group of women in Bristol started mobilising to ensure those in greatest need didn’t go without.
“I called my mum and said I feel something needs to be done,” says Anira Khokhar, recalling the moment when she realised action was needed in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Downend-based campaigner and journalist talked it through with her sisters and friends and Humanitarian Bristol – covid-19 was born, an entirely unfunded grassroots organisation that has grown to become a major partner in the citywide effort to ensure food and support is reaching vulnerable citizens and families.
is needed now More than ever
“We wanted to make sure we were reaching out to people on the extremely vulnerable list, those who are not able to go to the shops themselves or who might not come forward because of pride,” explains Anira,
“We needed to have a process in place, and we have volunteers who do that work in their jobs anyway. It was a bottom-up approach – at this point, the Government were still putting together lists.”
Anira says the project enables people to take ownership of food provision. Photo courtesy of Anira Khokhar
The boxes aim to provide healthy food that will sustain families through the week. Photo from Humanitarian Bristol Facebook page
Anira works for Penny Brohn, which has its national HQ in Pill, and the ‘colourful boxes’ that are currently being distributed across Bristol have been inspired by the charity’s ‘colourful plates’, which encourage people to eat healthy meals, with many different vegetables.
The ethos of Humanitarian Bristol goes beyond merely providing food but aims to empower people and inspire them with the provision of simply, healthy recipes that can be shared and passed on.
“It gives people ownership,” explains Anira, whose six-year-old son, Xaviar, (main photo) has been helping out with the work, documenting and keeping diaries of the huge community effort while lockdown continues.
Kiran Suman is one of the key members of Humanitarian Bristol, an unfunded grassroots community group. Photo from Humanitarian Bristol Facebook page
Anira, along with volunteers Aleena Khokhar, Kiran Suman Malik, Aneela Butt, Rucksana Akhtar, Haroon Ali, Daniel Ali and Asim Butt, have been working round the clock to ensure those in most need are reached.
What started as a small operation, paid for entirely out of the pockets of the volunteers, has grown to have some 1,500 members across the city. Boxes are packed in an Easton takeaway that offered its premises after it had to close due to lockdown restrictions and the team has been contacted by people who self-isolating but want to help by paying for boxes.
Partners include Penny Brohn UK, Somali Kitchen, Ambition Lawrence Weston, University of Bristol Pakistan Union, Bristol City Council, Jessie May, South Gloucestershire Council, Home-Start, Cintre, Mint Room, Alfu Turk, Istanbul Supermarket, Raja Cash and Carry and many more.
For Anira, it’s about building communities at a time when people cannot be together. She says that Muslim women rarely get their voices heard, but here they have quietly mobilised a citywide response to the pandemic.
“When we turn up at a front door with a box of food, people forget about their prejudices,” says the journalist.
“This is not something that’s just around for coronavirus. It’s about how we really build on those community relationships and bring people together after going through one of the most difficult phases of our lives. This is survival mode and it’s bringing everyone together.”
Humanitarian Bristol is providing specially created boxes with slow-release energy food throughout Ramadan and each Friday, in collaboration with the Mint Room, is distributing Iftar boxes to different neighbourhoods.
“During Ramadan, we give food every day to our neighbours, but that sense of community is gone because of lockdown,” explains Anira. “Now we cannot even break it with our families.
“Even though we have barriers in place, it does not stop community spirit.”
Volunteers and partner organisations across Bristol have been helping to create and distribute the boxes. Photo from Humanitarian Bristol Facebook page
The group has partnered with organisations across the city. Photo from Humanitarian Bristol Facebook page
Main photo of Xaviar Farooq, six, provided courtesy of Anira Khokhar
Read more: Coronavirus: the battle to get food to those who need it most in Bristol
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