Barking and Dagenham Giving Week, which will run from Monday 18 to Sunday 24 May, is a new celebration of local people and projects that support the community during the coronavirus crisis and all year round.

The aim of the week is to highlight how powerful it is for local people to give time, skills and space for their community and to support local causes.

This first year, in light of the social distancing measures imposed in the wake of the COVID outbreak, Giving Week has gone online.

Throughout the week, stories of adaptation and inspiration will be shared online. Stories that show the ways in which local people have stepped up to the plate in the current crisis, and the power of the community to work together to solve its own problems.

So far, £9,000 which has been raised by the Barking and Dagenham Lottery, will be handed over to local charities by Cllr Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement and applications will open for a Covid-19 Rapid Response Fund of £100,000. The fund will be distributed by Barking and Dagenham Giving - the borough’s new platform for giving to the community.

We want to celebrate the individuals and organisations who do so much for our residents, by putting the spotlight on those who do exceptional work in the charity sector – many who have also been part of the frontline in this pandemic. I’d like to thank our wonderful partners who have made funds available, which we hope will make a real difference. Together we create a stronger Barking and Dagenham

The week will also give people living and working in the borough, another way to get involved thanks to a collaboration between local success story ‘Street Tag’ and Barking and Dagenham Giving. By taking part in a new game called ‘Health Tag’, people will be encouraged to donate money to charity whilst achieving their home fitness goals. The money raised will be match funded by Barking and Dagenham Giving and distributed to local causes.

Cllr Saima Ashraf said: “We want to celebrate the individuals and organisations who do so much for our residents, by putting the spotlight on those who do exceptional work in the charity sector – many who have also been part of the frontline in this pandemic. I’d like to thank our wonderful partners who have made funds available, which we hope will make a real difference. Together we create a stronger Barking and Dagenham.”

Ian Parkes, Chair of Barking and Dagenham Giving Steering Group said: “This period of COVID-19 lockdown has really highlighted the willingness of ordinary people and local businesses to support those in their communities who need more help, are struggling or are less well off. We want to use Barking and Dagenham Giving Week to highlight the great things which local people and organisations do. But more than that, we want to make sure that there remains an easy way for people to give to the things that matter in the borough into the future - and Barking and Dagenham Giving will be the way to do this"