COVID-19 UK Mutual Aid groups: a list

As the global COVID-19 pandemic is upon us, a number of mutual aid groups have started forming across the country. The groups aim at providing community support to those who are more at risk from the virus: be it help with running errands or cooking.

COVID-19 is a novel virus most affecting people’s respiratory systems. While in around 8o% cases the symptoms will be mild, it can lead to death. It is estimated that 2-3 people out of a hundred will die. This can easily mean hundreds of thousands of deaths in the UK alone.

We must do everything we can to prevent this from happening.

The virus, while very unlikely to kill us all, already proved to be pretty lethal to,even more developed healthcare systems. It fills hospitals within days and uses-up resources, making it very difficult for healthcare workers to provide all needed help. This, in turn, increases the death toll.

The Tory government is apparently more concerned with making sure the economy won’t collapse rather than with saving people’s lives. So, here is some advice for folk:

People who are at higher risk of COVID-19 related death or life-changing illness

That is, those of us who are older, have pre-existing health conditions, or their immune system is otherwise compromised: please stay home if you can. If you live in the area covered by the Mutual Aid groups listed below, get in touch with them if you need help. You can take part in shaping and runing them too, there are plenty of things you can do from self-isolation to support your community.

HIV positive folk: please have a look at this link.

People who are at lower risk

Remember that you need to do everything you can to stay healthy. This is not exactly to protect your own life, as you already have more than a fair chance of survival. It is, however, essential to protect others, and it is your responsibility to your community to do all you can to achieve it.

This means washing your hands and generally sticking to high hygiene standards of both yourself and your surroundings. It means you stay in if you are sick: even if you strongly believe you are not a COVID-19 carrier, it is a risk you should not take right now. If you can, stay in even if you are healthy. There is no need to take unnecessary risks.

It also means that you must cancel that gig you wanted to go to, or that holiday trip you were looking forward to. You must do this to protect the more vulnerable members of your immediate community and beyond. You also must ensure you don’t put an unnecessary pressure on the NHS, so that they can get on with their life-saving work.

Remember: that old lady you see on your grocery shopping, and that comrade you know who is suffering from a long-term illness: it is your job to protect them as much as you can.

Additionally let’s not forget about the homeless people, and others who can not self-isolate easily. If you can, share your resources with them.

If you want to know more about the concept of mutual aid and how it can work in the community, then we recommend this book.

(zosia brom)

UK COVID-19 Mutual Aid Groups:

We have done our best to include all already existing mutual aid groups below. If your group is not listed, or you set one up after this text’s publication, please get in touch and we will fix it. You can reach us either via our Facebook page, or send an email to editor@freedompress.org.uk.

Note to people who keep submitting their groups to this list: thanks for your work, but we have one request: please, please, please keep the communication with us to FB direct messages and email only. This text proved very popular and we at Freedom are glad to be of assistance to so many communities, but it is also very difficult to keep on top of updates while monitoring email, direct messages, and the info coming via Twitter and Facebook comments. Help us to reduce the number of messages we are dealing with by checking if your group is listed already before getting in touch.

Also, yes we do know this list is very messy right now. We don’t have the time to deal with it due to the number of new groups we are processing. But hey, if anybody has the time to tidy it up and send it to us, please do!

People wanting to set up a mutual aid group in their area: before you contact us for advice, please have a look at this link and this document. If you still have questions, please get in touch.

None of the listed below groups will ask you for money or other form of payment.

Nationwide/general:

A nationwide coordination page was set up: Covid-19 Mutual Aid – UK. Please follow them
Queercare provides assistance for immunocompromised, astmatic or otherwise at additional risk from COVID-19. You can also access useful resources and advice via their page. Queercare has volunteers nationally and is working on organising folk into more local groups and providing advice. A sign-up form is available here.
Queercare have also finalised and had approved by medical professionals an initial list of principles and assumptions and a set of guiding policies for doing support work in, and in response to, the COVID-19 pandemic. You can access it here.
UK Mutual Aid FB group have been operating long before COVID-19. It is an intersectional support group for marginalised people in the UK.
In Scotland, you can join Scotland volunteer childcare for Covid-19 school closures
Update from the Domestic Abuse sector: If you need to flee (or know anyone that does), then please contact National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 as usual who can assist on transport and safety planning.
SWARM Collective have put together a guide on how to support domestic abuse victims (without calling the police)
Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline is operating as normal

London:

Battersea Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Lewisham Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Hackney Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Waltham Forest Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Newham Covid-19 Community Support
Tower Hamlets Covid19 Community Support
Southwark Mutual Aid Covid 19
Islington COVID 19 Mutual Aid
Lambeth Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Ealing Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Brent Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Haringey Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Havering Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Greenwich Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Barnet COVID-19 Mutual Aid
Kensington COVID- 19 Mutual Aid (link to WhatsApp chat)
City of London Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Hounslow Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group
Camden COVID-19 Mutual Aid
Volunteer childcare for Healthcare staff during school closures – Covid-19
Biggin Hill – Self-isolating Assistance
Twickenham & Richmond Covid 19 Mutual Aid
London Borough of Enfield Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Redbridge Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Stroud Green Covid 19 WhatsApp group
Norwood Junction Covid 19 Mutual Aid
West Norwood Coronavirus Support Group phone: 0208 168 7080, text: 0203 151 7080, whatsapp group
Harrow Covid-19 Community Support
Surbiton Coronavirus Community Response Group (CCRG)
Merton Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Putney Coronavirus Mutual Support Group
Newham Covid 19 Solidarity Group: 07496602149
New Malden Covid 19 mutual aid
Swiss Cottage COVID-19 WhatsApp group
Northolt COVID-19 Mutual Aid
Hammersmith Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Croydon Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Soho/Covent Garden Covid19 Mutual Aid
Newham COVID-19 Action Team
Deptford & Greenwich Coronavirus Community Support
Wimbledon Isolation Support Group
Tooting Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Wandsworth Covid 19 Mutual Aid: Balham, Tooting and Clapham South areas
South West London Covid 19 Community Support
Greenford COVID-19 Mutual Aid Group
Northwood, Northwood Hills, Oxhey, Ruislip and Pinner Coronavirus Community Help
Nunhead Knocks (covering Nunhead, Peckham, and Queens Road)

Additionally, Hackney Boaters Covid-19 Support formed. You can join their WhatsApp chat here.

Bristol:

Bristol Community Care (via Bristol Mutual Aid)
BS1 Mutual Aid
BS2 Mutual Aid
BS3 Mutual Aid
BS4 Mutual Aid
BS5 Mutual Aid
BS6 Mutual Aid
BS7 Mutual Aid
BS8 Mutual Aid
BS9 Mutual Aid
BS10 Mutual Aid
BS11 Mutual Aid
BS13 Mutual Aid
BS14 Mutual Aid

Loughborogh:

Loughborogh Solidarity

Lincoln:

Lincoln Covid-19 mutual aid

Newcastle upon Tyne:

Newcastle upon Tyne Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Arthurs’ Hill Covid 19 Mutual Aid
Byker Corvid-19 Mutual Aid
Benwell and Scotswood Covid 19 Mutual Aid Group
Gosforth Covid19 Mutual Aid
Elswick Covid 19 Mutual Aid Group
Heaton: Help Self-Isolators
Kenton Corona Help
Monument (City Centre) – Covid 19 mutual aid
Jesmond COVID-19 Mutual Aid
West Fenham Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Blakelaw Covid 19 Mutual Aid

Cambridgeshire:

Cambridgeshire Coronavirus Mutual Aid

Birmingham:

Cooperation Birmingham COVID- 19 Mutual Aid
Birmingham Community Solidarity: Coronavirus Response
Solihull/Shirley/Chelmsley Wood COVID-19 Mutual aid group
Shirley Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group
Acocks Green Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Southampton:

Southampton Coronavirus Mutual Aid Group
Southampton Coronavirus (COVID19) Volunteers Network
Southampton corona virus support group

Liverpool:

Liverpool Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Sheffield:

Sheffield Mutual Aid
Kelham Island & Neepsend COVID-19 Mutual Support

Oxford:

Oxford Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Essex:

Canvey Corona Virus Support

Poole:

Poole Covid 19 Community Support Group

Brighton:

Brighton Covid 19 Mutual Aid

Edinburgh:

Coronavirus Volunteering Edinburgh
The Meadows Share

Holtspur:

Holtspur Community Mutual Aid

Hertfordshire:

Herts Covid-19 Mutal Aid Group

Crowland, Lincolnshire:

Crowland Corona Assist

North Lincolnshire:

North Lincolnshire Covid-19 Community Aid

Coventry:

Coventry Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Greater Manchester:

Clifford (Old Trafford) Neighbourhood Aid
Blackley v COVID
Greater Manchester Mutual Aid Network
Woodley Stockport COVID-19 Mutual Aid Group
Bury Mutual Aid Group
Bramhall North Residents Covid -19 Community Outreach
Heatons Covid-19 virus – self isolation neighbourhood outreach
Corona Solidarity Levenshulme
Hazel Grove Mutual Aid
Whalley Range COVID-19 mutual support group
Stockport COVID-19 Support
Gatley Community Help Group
Marple Covid19 Mutual Aid Group
Marple Essentials Help
Offerton & Great Moor COVID-19 community group
Reddish Covid-19 virus – self isolation neighbourhood outreach
Chorlton Coronavirus Community Response
Didsbury, Withington and Burnage COVID-19 Community help
Cheadle Hulme Helping Hands

Durham:

County Durham Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Durham City Mutual Aid (Covid 19)
Durham Queer Mutual Aid

North Tyneside:

North Tyneside Covid 19 Mutual Aid

Dartford:

Covid 19 mutual aid group Dartford

Dundee:

Dundee COVID-19 Mutual Aid Group

Derby:

Derby COVID-19 Mutual Aid

Highworth:

Highworth Covid 19 Mutual Aid

Swindon:

Swindon Mutual Aid

Nottingham:

Nottingham Coronavirus Mutual Aid
Beeston Chilwell Area Mutual Aid Group

Glagow:

Glagow Mutual Aid Group

Northumberland:

Isolation help Northumberland

Chester:

Chester Covid-19 Support Group

Skelmersdale:

Skelmersdale Covid-19 Mutual Support

Leeds:

Leeds Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Cardiff:

Cardiff Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Northampton:

Northampton Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Northampton mutual aid groups listing covering different areas can be found here.

Ruddington:

Ruddington COVID-19 UK Mutual Aid

Doncaster:

Doncaster Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Stirling:

Stirling’s Towns and Villages Covid-19 help
Stirling Pulling Together

Worcester:

Worcester Coronavirus Mutual Aid Group

Reading:

Reading Mutual Aid

Middlesbrough:

Middlesbrough Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Scarborough:

Coronovirus Isolation Support in Scarborough UK (and surrounding areas)

Corsham:

Corsham Corvid19 Mutual Aid Group

Penzance:

Covid-19 Mutual Aid Penzance

Hastings:

HEART – Hastings Emergency Action Response Team

Lewes:

Lewes Coronavirus Volunteers
Lewes Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Devon:

Devon COVID-19 Mutual Aid
Torbay Help Hub
Totnes Help Hub

Wolverhampton:

Wolverhampton COVID-19 Mutual Aid

Barnsley:

Barnsley Covid 19 mutual aid network

St Helens-Merseyside:

St Helens Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Beaconsfield:

Beaconsfield Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Forest of Dean:

Forest of Dean Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

South Darenth and Horton Kirby:

Covid-19 Mutual aid group South Darenth and Horton Kirby

Bexley, Kent:

Bexley Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Kent:

Kent Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Ditton, Kent:

Ditton, Kent – Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Haslingden and Helmshore, Lancs:

Haslingden and Helmshore Helping Hands (COVID -19 Support)

North Lincolnshire:

COVID-19 MUTUAL AID GROUP Goxhill, Barrow, NH & all Ferry Ward villages

Blackwood/Oakdale area, South Wales:

Mutual aid Oakdale & Blackwood

Beverley, , East Riding of Yorkshire:

Beverley Community Covid-19 Support Group

Hyndburn, inc Huncoat, Read, Simonestone:

Hyndburn inc Huncoat, Read, Simonestone COVID19 Mutal Aid 4 the community

Portsmouth & Southsea:

Helping Hands Portsmouth covid-19
Portsmouth Coronavirus Support Group

Southport & Formby:

Covid-19 Southport & Formby Support Group

Willenhall, Borough of Walsall:

Willenhall Coronavirus support group

Hucknall, Nottinghamshire:

Hucknall Community Care – Coronavirus

Machynlleth, Wales:

Machynlleth Corona Community Response

Corris, Wales:

Corris Corona-virus Community Group

Corris Uchaf, Wales:

Corris Uchaf Covid-19 Community Support

Chichester, West Sussex:

Chichester Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK

Aberdeen:

Aberdeen City Mutual Aid

Aberdeenshire:

Aberdeenshire Mutual Aid

Newcastle under Lyme and North Staffordshire:

A Labour of Love

Leicestershire:

Coronavirus support network Leicestershire

Horsham:

Horsham covid-19 mutual aid

Grimsby and Cleethorpes:

Grimsby and Cleethorpes Covid-19 mutual aid

Rye, East Sussex:

Rye Mutual Aid Group

Somersham, Cambridgeshire:

Somersham Community Care

Claygate/Esher:

Claygate/Esher Coronavirus Community Response Group

Whitworth:

Whitworth Covid-19 Community Support

Knottingley & Ferrybridge:

Covid 19 – Mutual Aid Support Group – Knottingley & Ferrybridge

Leicester:

Leicester Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group
COVID-19 Mutual Aid Leicester – Clarendon

Basingstoke:

Basingstoke Covid-19 Community Support Group

Mawgan & Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall:

Covid-19 Mutual Aid Mawgan & Lizard Peninsula

Cornwall:

Volunteer Conrwall

Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire:

Henley Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire:

Sowerby Bridge Covid-19 Volunteers

Hebden Royd, West Yorkshire:

Hebden Royd Covid19 Action Group

Calderdale, West Yorkshire:

Calderdale Covid19 Action Group

Tockwith, York:

Tockwith Friends: friends@tockwith.org.uk

Norwich:

Covid-19 Mutual Aid – Norwich
Here to help (Norwich community led support group)

Great Yarmouth:

Great Yarmouth Mutual Aid Covid 19

Glossop, Derbyshire:

Glossop Covid- 19 Mutual Aid

Petersfield:

Petersfield covid-19 isolation help group

Caterham, Surrey:

Caterham Emergency Support

Saline & Steelend:

Saline & Steelend covid19 support

Holme Valley, West Yorkshire:

COVID 19 Holme Valley Resilience Network

Meltham, West Yorkshire:

Meltham Community Covid 19 Corona Virus Response Group

Slaithwaite Colne Valley:

Operation Support Slaithwaite

Stapleford:

Stapleford & Surrounding Areas Mutual Aid Group

Maghull:

Maghull Mutual Aid

Bath:

Combe Down mutual aid
Bath Mutual Aid
Bath coronavirus Help and Volunteers

Elmbridge, Surrey:

Elmbridge Coronavirus Support

Hampshire:

Corona Virus Community Support, Hampshire

Burnham-on-Crouch

Coronavirus Mutual Aid Burnham-on-Crouch

Winchester:

Mutual Aid – Winchester area

Twyford:

Twyford Mutual Support

Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire:

Chapel-en-le-Frith Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Long Eaton & Sawley, Derbyshire:

Long Eaton & Sawley COVID 19 Mutual Aid Group

Glasgow:

The Working Class
Whiteinch & Scotstoun Glasgow Corona Virus Resilience Group
Southside Self-Isolation Supporters
Greater Govan Support Network
Williamwood Community Support
Glasgow Mutual Aid Group
Covid-19 Glasgow and the area – community help

Burnham:

Burnham resilience – Covid-19

Staines and Ashford:

Be Kind Staines and Ashford

Grange-Over-Sands, Cumbria:

Grange Mutual Aid for Self Isolation Group

Brentwood, Essex and surrounding villages:

Brentwood Community Help Hubs

East Bergholt/Holton St. Mary and nearby:

East Bergholt/Holton St. Mary and nearby Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Polgooth, Cornwall:

Polgooth Friends for Covid-19

York:

York Covid-19 Mutual Aid
York COVID 19 Volunteers Hub
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Clifton, Clifton Moor and Rawcliffe
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Skelton, Shipton and Overton
York COVID 19 Volunteers – near Earswick Area
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Wigginton And Haxby
York COVID 19 Volunteers – The Groves, Bootham and York St John
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Bishopthorpe Road and South Bank
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Bishopthorpe and Acaster Malbis
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Copmanthorpe and Bilbrough Top
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Askham Bryan, Askham Richard, and Bilbrough
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Woodthorpe, Dringhouses, and Askham Bog
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Acomb, Foxwood, and Westfield
York COVID 19 Holgate and Poppy Rd
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Knapton, Rufforth, and Hessay
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Poppleton and York Business Park
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Heslington, Uni, and Badger Hill
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Dunngington and Murton
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Osbaldwick and Derwenthorpe
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Heworth, Tang Hall, and Layerthorpe
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Stockton, Holtby, and Warthill
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Dodsworth Ave and Birch Park
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Huntington and Monks Cross
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Strensall, Earswick, and Towthorpe
York COVID 19 Volunteers – Fulford, Fishergate, and the Designer Outlet

Plymouth:

Covid-19 Mutual Aid Plymouth

Newport/MK:

MK/Newport Help For Neighbours (COVID-19)

New Quay, Wales:

Corona virus support group for New Quay and surroundings

Thurrock, Essex:

Thurrock Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Dunstable, Bedfordshire:

Dunstable Covid-19 Mutual Aid

Alnwick, Northumberland:

Mutual Aid Alnwick

Stoughton, West Sussex:

Stoughton Neighbourhood Support

Ringwood:

Ringwood Coronavirus Assistance

Gillingham/Chatham:

Covid-19 Mutual Aid Gillingham/Chatham

Okehampton:

Okehampton Coronavirus (Covid 19) Volunteer Group

Mablethorpe:

Mablethorpe Cares

Salisbury:

COVID- 19 Mutual Aid Salisbury

Denton, South Norfolk:

Denton Self-isolation Support

Ely, Cambridgeshire:

Ely Community Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group

Belfast:

Covid-19 Mutual Aid Belfast/Greater Belfast Area

Faversham, Kent:

Covid-19 Mutual Aid Faversham

Luton:

Covid-19 Luton Community Action Group

Lambourn, West Berkshire:

Lambourn Coronavirus Community Response

Swansea:

Swansea Covid 19 Support Group

Bradford:

Caremongering Bradford- Community Response to Covid-19

Berwick-upon-Tweed:

Berwick Coronavirus Forum

Bedford:

Bedford Kindness

Ledbury:

Ledbury Covid-19 Support Group

St. Cleer Parish:

Coronavirus Support Network

Darite / St. Cleer area:

Derite Info

Brandon, Meadowfield and Langley Moor:

Brandon, Meadowfield and Langley Moor Corvid-19 Mutual Aid Support Group

Lichfield:

Helping each other- Lichfield and surrounding areas
Lichfield Coronavirus Community Support

Eastleigh:

Mutual Aid-Covid19- Eastleigh

Wotton Area:

Wotton Area Mutual Aid

Additionally:

SWARM Collective has started a hardship fund for UK sex workers in financial crisis due to COVID-19. Please donate if you can.
Cooperation Birmingham are fundraising for a mutual aid kitchen.
Mayday Rooms in London closed until after Easter due to COVID-19 outbreak in the UK.
Dundee Anarchist Bookfair had been cancelled.
Bookfair 2020 in London had been cancelled.
Freedom Bookshop is closed until further notice. We are still processing online orders, but please do not get offended if there are delays.
WARNING: there is a group on Facebook called Coronavirus Support Group for Workers. You do not want to join it, the admins are currently suspending people for pointing out the obvious fact that the group is for workers, and not bosses.

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