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Making marathon memories The London Marathon route crosses the River Thames at Tower Bridge just before halfway, then loops through Mudchute and Docklands, before heading west again along The Highway. www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com For those in need Started in Tower Hamlets in 1865, the Salvation Army provides friendship, support and practical help to people. www.salvationarmy.co.uk News News in brief Breaking barriers A DIGITAL mental health service, which allows the public to explore online support options, is being made available to residents for free. Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has commissioned Big White Wall, a project which breaks down barriers to access, such as mental health stigma, lack of transport or difficulties finding childcare. Registered with the Care Quality Commission, Big White Wall employs a clinical team lead by a consultant psychiatrist. It delivers personalised digital support to improve mental health and related conditions. Residents aged 16 and over can access the service by entering a postcode at www.bigwhite wall.com Overseas project POPLAR resident Charlotte Browne will be packing her bags for Cambodia this summer, to work on a community support programme with Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO). The VSO livelihood programme supports the improvement of food security amongst poor communities dependent on fisheries and forestry resources. Charlotte, who is studying politics and international relations at the University of Exeter, said she became interested in international development after taking a module in the subject. The undergraduate is raising money for VSO and has set a target of £800. To donate Charlotte visit www.justgiving.com/Charlotte -Browne2 Fighting poverty WHILE most young people will probably be relaxing this summer, 18-year-old Omamerhi Etefia is planning something more taxing. The Bethnal Green resident will be volunteering for ten weeks, in Tanzania. To offer support, visit www.justgiving.com/OmamICS ETanzania Walkers strut their stuff to raise cash for charity BY JESSICA ODUBAYO CHARITY fundraisers will strut their stuff on Saturday, May 9, when they take part in a charity walk with a difference. When Spitalfields Crypt Trust (SCT) asked its residents how to celebrate the charity’s 50th birthday, Colin and Matti came up with the idea of a sponsored walk through east London, dressed in gear from local charity shops and markets. Now, the charity shop strut has become a reality and actress Barbara Windsor is due to fire the starting gun. SCT offers support, rehabilitation and training services to people facing homelessness, alcohol and drug problems, poverty and social isolation. Colin was abused from the age of nine. At the age of 13, he ran away from home and soon found himself in the murky world of street prostitution. He turned to alcohol, which gave him confidence. Then he got involved in solvent abuse, recreational and harder drugs. “I would spend the next 23 years in and out of hostels, detox and mental institutions,” Colin told East End Life. “I had eight attempts at rehab and was homeless.” In 2014, he moved off the streets to give sobriety another go. Acorn House, run by the trust, offered Colin the opportunity to get his life back on track by addressing the reasons why he took drugs. “They really care,” he said. “Life is worth living now. I attend woodwork and art classes at SCT’s New Hanbury Project and I’m also volunteering at Paper and Cup, a social enterprise café. “I’m looking forward to my future. I know I will always have support from SCT. “I will hopefully be starting college soon to study health and social care because I want to become a project worker and help others on the road to recovery.” Matti left home after he found out his wife had cheated on him. “Just before I came to Acorn House, I felt hopeless,” he said. “I was camping out around Arnold Circus and I just used to walk up and down the streets. I had no place to go. “I sometimes went to a shelter but, to be honest, there was nothing to do there except drink. You could do whatever you wanted to do and I was surrounded by people on drink or drugs, and I didn’t want to drink anymore. I really wanted to start afresh.” A hostel worker told Matti about Acorn House and he moved in last June. “I look back at the last nine months and I can’t believe how far I’ve come,” Matti said. “I am learning to not be so fearful and angry about the past. I am learning to let go and I’m looking forward to the future instead. I really believe that if you work hard you can get to where you want to be. I’m now studying for my GCSEs at Hackney Community College and one day I hope to go on to study nursing. I just feel better when I’m helping people.” A spokeswoman for SCT said: "Fifty years on, we still find the three main triggers for addiction are losing your job, a failed relationship or having addiction in the family. The former two can happen to anyone, Colin (top) and Matti (above) will both be taking part in the charity shop strut particularly in the current economic climate.” If you want to take part in the charity shop strut, visit www. sct.org.uk/charityshopstrut A marathon fundraising feat WITH just about a week to go to this year’s London Marathon, 23-year-old Isle of Dogs resident Jordan Meikle has been putting plenty of practice in for his fundraising feat. Jordan will be taking part in the 26-mile run to raise funds for the Salvation Army, which supports homeless people by providing accommodation, training and practical help. Jordan, who will be running the famous race for the first time, said: “It has been a lifelong dream to run the London Marathon. I’ve lived in London my whole life, which makes it extra special.” To train for the big day, on Sunday, April 26, the stock room assistant for a top designer brand ran the Silverstone half marathon, finishing in an impressive one hour and 37 minutes. Jordan also held a cake sale at Asda on the Isle of Dogs to raise money for the charity. He aims to raise £1,500 and, as well as donating, he is encouraging residents to line the marathon route on the Isle of Dogs and in Poplar, to wave him on and give their support. “I hope to finish the race in about three and a half hours. Every donation, no matter how little, will go a long way in supporting the Salvation Army,” Jordan said. To support his fundraising effort, visit www.justgiving. com/Jordan-Meikle Best foot forward for Sarah’s mum STEPNEY resident Sarah Walsh is walking all the way to Brighton to raise money for Moorfields eye charity. Sarah, 29, a specialist nurse at Newham Hospital, knows first hand how a chronic eye condition can affect health and well being. Her mum suffers from chronic glaucoma, a serious condition that has left her with very little vision and severe damage to the optic nerve. “There is no cure for glaucoma, or indeed any way of reversing the optic nerve damage,” Sarah said. “The hope is with close monitoring of the pressure in her eyes, they can try and preserve the little vision my mother has. However, this isn’t working and she is rapidly going blind.” Sarah hopes to raise at least £500 to support the charity to provide the best possible care to patients and allow research into eye conditions to continue. “I walk home from work every day, which is around six miles, and at the weekends I walk further. I can frequently be seen walking along the Regents Canal on a 15-mile training session,” she told East End Life. The London to Brighton 100km challenge takes place over the May bank holiday, from May 23- 24. To donate, visit www.just giving.com/Sarah4Moorfields2 Jordan has held a cake sale to raise money for charity 12 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 20 – 26 APRIL 2015


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