Political opponents unite to delivery vital supplies to needy - The Redditch Standard

Political opponents unite to delivery vital supplies to needy

Redditch Editorial 10th May, 2020   0

POLITICAL opponents have been uniting to deliver much needed meals to vulnerable people self-isolating in Redditch in thecurrent pandemic.

In an operation co-ordinated by Nicki Farnes, manager of the Ecumenical Centre and Alex Powell of the Disability Support Project Labour and Conservative representatives on the Borough Council have been out and about across the town’s districts.

At the heart of the operation is Labour’s Councillor Joe Baker.

He said: “John Henshaw from Redditch Outreach Project has been supplying frozen meals and together with the Disability Support Project and the Ecumenical Centre myself and Coun Bill Hartnett have been heating them up.




“I’ve then been getting the individual ward councillors involved to get them delivered.”

The initiative has seen Conservative Coun Tom Baker-Price joining the effort in Headless Cross and Oakenshaw and Coun Julian Grubb and his son pitching helping in the Abbey ward he represents.


Residents helped include those in Ibstock House, Keats House, Arthur Jobson House and Harry Taylor House.

“It’s lovely seeing the political parties coming together like this to distribute the meals and I’d also like to thank the providers of the food for their generosity,” added Coun Baker.

Together the teams have delivered 600 to 700 meals.

“It’s been brilliantly co-ordinated by Nicki Farnes at the Ecumenical Centre and really well received,” said Coun Hartnett.

“We all have our proper ID badges and we’re using local councillors because they’re all known in the area.”

The scheme is just one aspect of a unity that’s already seen members of all parties come together to work on the borough’s coronavirus response.

Redditch’s key voluntary sector and people from the town’s political parties and none set up the Support Redditch Emergency Network, while Conservative Coun Mike Rouse set up the cross party and volunteer run Support Redditch website at https://supportredditch.net/ .

For those struggling in the lockdown, the Support Redditch Emergency Network can be contacted on 01527 919 869 or visit: https://supportredditch.net/

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