Covid-19 five years on: “If it wasn’t for those sessions, I honestly don’t know how I would have coped”

During what was a tremendously difficult time for Kim, she was supported by her local community centre, Brandwood Centre – now one of Cadent’s Centres for Warmth – in Kings Heath, Birmingham, which organised a weekly check-in call. Run by Centre Manager, Pat Watson, local residents would come together to meet, albeit over the internet, and keep each other company in what was a lonely and isolating time.

Kim said: “It’s hard to look back to the 2020 lockdown without thinking about my family and friends. My brother, who lived in Scotland, tragically passed away quite soon after lockdown was announced. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to travel north for the funeral because the rules didn’t allow it, so we had to wait to have a little memorial, many months later. I then had the heartbreaking news that my best friend had died as a result of Covid, which was devastating.

“I struggled to come to terms with this at the time, as I was also looking after my parents, who had both fallen ill. I was overwhelmed, and at times, like so many others during lockdown, I felt incredibly alone.

“That’s when I turned to Brandwood Centre. The team hosted community group sessions online every Monday, which honestly changed my life. We had open conversations, formed real bonds with everyone, and the centre even came to the houses of those who needed help setting up their laptops. We were like a little family. Every Monday, we’d all join and talk about all sorts: from our personal experiences to what we were watching on TV. It was the highlight of my week.

“If it wasn’t for those sessions, I honestly don’t know how I would have coped with everything that was happening in my personal life.”

Kim sadly lost her mum in 2022 and dad in 2023, while her husband continues to battle cancer after recently receiving a second diagnosis.

However, five years after lockdown was first announced, Kim, now 62, is turning her experiences of grief into a positive for the community.

Working with Brandwood Centre, Kim, joined by her two best friends, Sue, 64, and Jan, 57, now hosts a weekly bingo club in the hope of supporting others struggling with loneliness and isolation. What’s more, the trio organise weekly fundraising events, with proceeds going to group trips. Money raised last year allowed the group to organise a trip to the seaside.

The social afternoon is now a staple at Brandwood Centre, which has established itself as a crucial Cadent Centre for Warmth in the area. Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, has over 300 community hubs in its Centre for Warmth programme. It provides funding for local community centres to create safe, warm spaces for local residents living in vulnerable situations.

Twice a week, Brandwood Centre hosts ‘Warmer’ events in partnership with Cadent. On Tuesdays, it hosts its Warmer Days session from 9-11:30am. Its Warmer Evening sessions, which are hosted on Wednesdays between 3 and 6pm, attracts local schoolchildren and their parents, as well as pensioners.

Thanks to Kim, Sue and Jan, the Tuesday Warmer Days session is extended, meaning the community can continue to come together for the whole day. Each week, well over 30 residents attend the social afternoon and fundraising events. For Centre Manager, Pat Watson however, her biggest joy is seeing the community come together after Covid-19 to forge new friendships, reduce isolation and watch the groups continue to go from strength to strength.

Pat said: “At the Brandwood Centre, we love finding ways to bring everyone together and Kim, Sue and Jan’s story is inspirational. Seeing how they help the community provides us with such pride. The sessions have become really popular, helping forge a new community that was feeling very lonely and isolated following the pandemic. We cannot put a price on that.”

To find out more about Brandwood Centre’s Warmer Days or Warmer Nights initiatives, please visit www.brandwoodcentre.co.uk/