(Hotspot map showing support instances for the last 12 months)

 

 

Update: 29/12. We have been advised that the original information given to us via our elected council official was incorrect. These bollards were NOT installed by Transport For London, but by Lewisham Council. 

Had we have known this, we likely wouldn't have created this petition as we believe there is a lot of support within the council for what we do here. With that said, the situation remains unchanged for us. If those bollards remain in place, then our charity will no longer be able to operate.

Given that our data shows at least one support instance for almost every road within a 1.5 mile radius of this place (extending all across London and far beyond), we want to do everything we can to show that we deserve to exist...and that there must be an alternative way to stop unauthorised vehicles parking at Place Ladywell.

//

(The below information hasn't been edited yet. It will be changed to reflect our new understanding)

❌❌ TFL HAVE INSTALLED BOLLARDS THAT BLOCK ACCESS TO OUR SITE. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO REVERSE THAT DECISION ❌❌
~ Our project cannot operate whilst they are there ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our charity has been assisting the residents of Lewisham (and beyond) since June 2020. During that time, we have become a major support point for those facing acute hardship. We currently assist around 1,500 people per week when accounting for family size - covering homelessness support and a myriad of donation types that aim to make empty houses into homes and break the digital divide that does such harm to so many.

www.lewishamdonationhub.org
https://www.facebook.com/lewishamdonationhub/

The majority of the assistance we provide comes from community donations requested via our website, principally delivered during a 3 hour window every Sunday (along with major food donations throughout the week from The Felix Project and elsewhere). As things stand, the installation of bollards by TFL will prevent us from taking these donations, and force us to close the majority of our services - to the detriment of all those that are facing crisis.

//

⚠️ A UNIQUE SERVICE THAT IS NOW AT SERIOUS RISK OF CLOSURE ⚠️

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Set up during the first few months of the pandemic, we have been at the forefront of every crisis that has impacted our city and were one of only a few services of our kind that fought to remain open throughout every lockdown.

Our services cover homelessness support, clothing, footwear, essential households electricals, food & toiletries (supporting 90 households per opening day), connected devices (phones, tablets, laptops, desktops), kitchenware, bedding, toys & games and a myriad of other things that help to provide shelter, turn empty houses into homes and give hope to those that are in crisis. 

We were one of the lead charities in the Afghan crisis, with the Mayor of London visiting us in October, 2020, to thank our team for their efforts in providing direct aid to hotels all across London. We have also fought on behalf of DV survivors to secure access to support that they would otherwise have been denied.

Our work has been covered by the BBC (video below), The Guardian, ITV and and a number of other national and international media organisations, with evidence of abuse of refugees during the Afghan crisis being raised in parliament by MP Ellie Reeves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have also successfully fought for those living homeless to be kept indoors at Lewisham Hospital during sub-zero weather events (rather than be evicted). Our work has seen us voted 'best community contribution' by our community at the Mayor of Lewisham awards in 2022 and helped us to become a significant donation point for our community.

//

⚠️ COMMUNITY DONATIONS ARE EVERYTHING TO US. WITHOUT ACCESS TO OUR SITE, THOSE DONATIONS WILL CEASE ⚠️
~ As will our service ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our entire project runs at almost no cost, with the 26,000 direct support instances in the last year coming in at around £1.50 per person (almost the entirety of that spending going on essentials such as food, toiletries, microwaves, kettles, hair clippers, bicycles & computer repair equipment). The £100,000+ we have so far spent has come largely from community donations, with almost £20,000 given in response to our recent 'winter (funding) crisis';

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/ldh-winter-crisis

Whilst funding is vital, what really powers us are community donations - which continue to arrive in overwhelming volumes (almost all of which arrive in a 3 hour window every Sunday via the forecourt of Place Ladywell). These are shared by our team from all around the world, a significant proporition of whom are seeking asylum, who give a combined 1,500+ hours per week to our service. Those donations help us to support around 1,500 people per week when accounting for family size.

TFL's decision to install bollards to deny access to Place Ladywell, without any alternative provision, will bring our entire service to an abrupt halt (particularly so given that Longbridge Way, the only accessible road near our site, is a double yellow line road). We raised an objection to this via our wonderful councillor, Laura Cunningham, but the bollards were installed regardless.

With much of TFL's service closed over the festive period, we really need your support to show TFL when they reopen that they need to rapidly fix this problem (either by removing the bollard entirely, or adapting them so they can be lowered). 

//

⚠️ PLEASE HELP US TO BE THERE FOR THOSE FACING CRISIS BY SIGNING THIS PETITION ⚠️

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are due to reopen for donations on the 7th January. Without access to the forecourt for drop-offs, this will not be possible. This will force the closure of the majority of our other services to the detriment of all those we endeavour to help. It will also be very difficult for us to sustain our food service (which has 14+ dedicated drop offs per week - including from a Transit van from The Felix Project).

For those we endeavour to support, and for the well-being of the environment that our sharing of pre-used items help to protect, we hope you will sign this petition so that we can continue to be there for our community.

Thank you

Laurence

Founder, Lewisham Donation Hub

(on behalf of the entire LDH team)

www.lewishamdonationhub.org
www.facebook.com/lewishamdonationhub