Community partnerships grow through Lockdown

While the team of five million have stayed home and donned masks to go outside, essential work has continued at St Peter's on Willis Street. The Freestore cannot operate under levels 3 & 4 (there are no cafes and bakeries open for them to collect food from) however, Freestore volunteers have worked to support EKTA (“unity” in Hindi) from the St Peter's undercroft.

In normal times on a Saturday, EKTA run the Dya foodbank at St Peter’s in the morning and serve food to the hungry on Manners Street in the evening. The Dya (“compassion”) food bank stocks mainly dry goods and spices that are eaten by the Asian community. Dya welcomes all ethnicities.

During Level 4 and 3 Dya has continued this foodbank on a daily basis, and worked with The Freestore to cook and serve meals each evening. Manjit Grewal, Chair of EKTA says that there has been a steady stream of 30 or more people each day coming for dry goods and about the same number each evening coming for a hot meal.

Meanwhile, across the garden, City GPs have continued the mahi of vaccinating their patients, using the St Peter's community centre. They began the work in mid July, vaccinating Monday - Wednesday, but with the church closed, they have worked tirelessly five days a week, backing the nationwide push to protect the nation.

Co-Vicar Jean Malcolm reflects on the physically distanced activity going on outside the vicarage window. “We feel so lucky to be able to provide spaces for our community, and have daily activities in our spaces throughout the week, even when we cannot gather there. God has provided these wonderful community relationships and we are glad to be in partnership with these groups and with the God who moves between us in these relationships.”