Bingham based charity, The Rosie May Foundation, is thanking the businesses and residents of Nottingham for their continued support during the pandemic.
Charities across the United Kingdom have suffered and many even closed their doors during the Covid-19 crisis, however thanks to the tenacity and community spirit of Nottingham, the Rosie May Foundation is continuing to support vulnerable people in Nottingham whilst providing vital support for vulnerable families in Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Mary Storrie, CEO and co-founder of the Rosie May Foundation said: “2020 was the most challenging and unpredictable year ever, at times it felt the most lonely and overwhelming. However, in many ways it has been the most rewarding, because the pandemic opened up a space for us to be able to work, for the first time in our own local community of Nottingham.”
Before the pandemic, the foundation supported global projects in Sri Lanka and Nepal. Rosie their Little Pink Tuk Tuk, based in Bingham Nottinghamshire, was used to raise awareness of the foundations ‘Think Pink’ programme in Sri Lanka. The first female drivers are being trained to drive pink Tuk Tuks as taxis to keep women and girls safe as they travel to work and school.
Mary Storrie, CEO and co-founder of the Rosie May Foundation said: “When lockdown happened it seemed only natural to us as a charity to want to help our local community in crisis. So, we mobilised a network of local volunteers to drive Rosie and deliver essential items to vulnerable people in Nottinghamshire.” Rosie has gained local hero status in Nottingham by delivering over 2000 hot and fresh food deliveries, over 1000 rainbow cupcakes for lockdown birthdays and prescriptions for the elderly.
Mary explained: “We realised very quickly that the human interaction through a friendly face and a doorstep chat was as important as the food or the medicine that we were delivering.” Rosie our little Pink Tuk Tuk brings good cheer and over 3,500 doorstep chats have made a positive difference to those socially isolated. For many, the foundations volunteers were the only people they had contact with.
Alongside delivering this community outreach programme, the foundation has continued to support families in Sri Lanka, where a global hunger pandemic was predicted in May 2020. The foundation launched an international emergency appeal to ensure food could be delivered to families in remote areas.
Mary said: “Mums told us they would rather die of Covid than hunger, once you hear a child crying of hunger, it is a cry you never forget.”
In December, Tuk Tuk Santa was busy saving Christmas by visiting schools and delivering surprise doorstep chats, to over 2,500 children in Nottinghamshire. In Sri Lanka the appeal was re-launched, and another 1,000 families were fed.The Rosie May Foundation has powered through the pandemic thanks to the generosity of the people in Nottingham. Alongside the commitment and dedication of volunteers, this support has been pivotal to their survival. Their strength and resilience will be tested once again as they now begin the road to recovery.
As we ease out of lockdown, the foundation is focusing on preventing the new predicted pandemic of loneliness. Helping people to re-connect with those they have lost contact with to promote positive mental health and well-being.
A new fundraiser to support this initiative ‘Walk and Talk’, welcomes supporters to invite friends and family to walk 5,000 or 10,000 steps, five times a week, and importantly talk with them. This was a great success during April so the charity are looking to continue it throughout the year. If you would like to get involved and help fundraise for the Rosie May Foundation, contact: [email protected]