Idris Patel, CEO of Supporting Humanity, a charity that delivered meals to vulnerable people and frontline NHS staff at more than 18 hospitals, has been awarded a British Empire medal for his efforts
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Supporting Humanity, a charity delivering 1,000 freshly cooked meals a day to 13 NHS hospitals, as well as vulnerable people across London. Off-spinner and T20 captain Simon Harmer was one of those to help. "It's been described in the media as a war, and the NHS staff are on the frontline," he told BBC Essex.
Supporting Humanity, alongside the Muslim Patel Burial Trust, is using volunteers to maintain graves in Manor Park Cemetery and Crematorium in east London. Idris Patel, Supporting Humanity's founder, said: "We believe help in bereavement and mental health are two fundamental issues to tackle when someone close to you passes"
Idris Patel CEO of Supporting Humanity join BBC Radio to discuss the charities burial project during Covid-19
Idris Patel, CEO of Supporting Humanity shares some of the positive work the charity aims to achieve in the new year. Listen to the entire chat on BBC Sounds: "New Year’s Eve," Sunny and Shay, BBC Radio,31 December 2020,1:47:00.
Supporting Humanity came up with a novel way of getting young people involved in their charity work. A large part of our work involves bereavement counselling with young people and families and working very closely with funeral directors and cemeteries. Founding member Idris Patel wanted to find a way to engage and encourage young people to get involved and set about calling on young people from as young as 12 to come and volunteer at the burial ground where he works in partnership with the Patel Muslim Burial Trust. The work there involves the volunteers cleaning up the burial site, digging graves to prepare them for Muslim burials and help make timber frames for the graves. The campaign helped get young people off the streets whilst giving back to the community! Great initiative. Watch the ITV news broadcast on the campaign here