A community initiative for Medway’s Citizens
Kate Belmonte found herself trapped in her home in March 2020, cut off from her friends and her extended family. She created Road Reps in order to aid people in her neighbourhood who were in a similar situation to herself. Shortly after it launched, she virtually met another person who shared her goal, and the two of them formed Mutual Aid Road Reps to help their community.
Volunteers went out beyond their front doors to help bridge the gap of isolation with basic compassion and companionship, reaching every family in Medway with pure determination and masses of people power.
Mutual Aid Road Reps (MARR) was established in March 2020 after leafleting every home in Medway. With over 270 volunteers on-call, they swiftly became the largest volunteer organisation in Medway, aiding the elderly, fragile, and self-isolating homes. Assisting in the collection and delivery of meals, medications, and supplies.
At the same time, they created ‘Let’s Get Chatty’ services, which allow people who were isolated to communicate with others in their neighbourhood over the phone. But as we have slowly gone back to normal their Road Reps can help with collecting shopping & prescriptions, posting a letter, or dropping off some hearing aid batteries. let’s Get Chatty has become a service that run Coffee, Chat & Connect and Walk & Talk sessions and provides telephone befriending support.
Kate Belmonte the founder and director of the company said that the aim of mutual aid is
“a basic concept of supporting your neighbours with the knowledge that they will also pay forward the help to others. We aim to give independence back to those in our community you have lost it. Bridging the gap of isolation with simple kindness and friendship.”
They currently only have 60 registered volunteers and are always on the lookout for new volunteers.
Susan Peterson who is 82 years of age has been alone since 2018 and has said “Mutual Aid has changed my life with their help & kindness. It is a wonderful thing they are doing at this difficult time with the constant changes in our society”
Mutual help hopes to provide things that the local council does not have the funds to give for the community while also connecting with individuals more personally.
Donations and volunteers are what allow these non-profit organisations to serve individuals on a more personal and connected basis.
Kate Belmonte and Mutual Aid have just launched its 2023 crowd funding campaign in the hopes of raising funds to continue their vital work in the Medway community.
