Seven of our Upper Sixth students, as well as some younger Emanuel pupils, alumni and friends, volunteered multiple days per week at the Smile Brigade, a community group providing food for families in need, over the summer.

Based at the Clem Attlee Community Hall in Fulham, the Smile Brigade operates on most weekdays. Our volunteers sorted through donations, bagged fruit and vegetables, weighed rice and put together care packages. Food is donated by local companies and organisations including City Harvest London and The Felix Project who provide surplus food which would otherwise have been wasted or unused.

The Smile Brigade still needs help – if you have some time to spare please read on…

Our pupil volunteers have been brilliant and really helped make the packing and deliveries of food parcels possible. The need is still critical. Now our pupils are back in school, the Smile Brigade is keen to recruit some additional volunteers. If you happen to have an hour or two to spare, they would love to hear from you. All packing is socially distanced, masks are worn by all and there is a copious amount of hand sanitiser available.

The Smile Brigade have specifically asked for help in the following areas:

Grocery packers

They need volunteers who can commit to one day per week to help pack fruit, vegetables and dry goods in the morning from 10.00am-2.00pm.

Days Needed: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Location: Clem Attlee Community Hall, Len Freeman Place, SW6 7TN

Food preppers

They need volunteers to assist their kitchen team with prepping, labelling and packing food into containers.

Days Needed: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

Location: Clem Attlee Community Hall, Len Freeman Place, SW6 7TN

Time: 10.00am-2.00pm

Walking buddies

Smile Brigade is looking for ‘walking buddies’ to offer care and support to persons who are vulnerable as the lockdown eases and they are able to go back outside again. The walking buddies will support them to regain their confidence in getting out and about. Volunteers will support individuals who are socially isolated with very limited social contact with others due to the crisis.

If you are interested in becoming a walking buddy, or helping out with packing and prepping, please email Monique Newton on monique@thesmilebrigade.org.

Lisa Irwin (Deputy Development & Community Partnerships Director)