Elsa Arnold, founder of the Spreading Kindness Through E11 initiative, talks about her new role as community outreach coordinator for The Duke and highlights how you can help her spread festive cheer
When I started the Spreading Kindness Through E11 initiative with Mark Mountney at the age of 16, I never thought it would have grown to what it is now, four years later. I’m extremely grateful to every business that has worked with us during that time and excited to be bringing some Christmas cheer to the Wanstead alongside The Duke and Leytonstone Tavern as their new community outreach coordinator.
We hope that by working together we will be able to reach even more people in need in both pubs’ local areas and support other initiatives and charities which strive to make a difference to the lives of others.
Here are a few things coming up at The Duke this winter, which fall under their new community outreach programme.
Monday 5 December, 11am to 6pm
We will be hosting a Community Action Day at The Duke, where we invite you all to join us to engage with activities which give back to those in need. For example, we’ll be making and packaging gifts for nursing home residents, and we are excited to be partnering with a new care home this Christmas: Mornington Hall in Manor Park. In addition, we will be providing a space for other community initiatives to include people in their own work, including the Corner House Project. Please pop down and get involved.
On the same day, we will be providing a Christmas lunch to families at Haven House Children’s Hospice, who will join us for some festive fun. If you would like to assist with preparing for this, we would welcome any volunteers on the day.
Saturday 10 December
The Duke’s new Christmas market aims to bring together people in the community and support local businesses. We will be hosting fundraising stalls for our community outreach programme and there will be live music performances throughout the day – we’d love to see you there!
Sunday 11 December
We would like to invite local families to help deliver our gifts to residents at Mornington Hall Care Home. We invite children and their parents to sign up to join us and help spread some Christmas cheer to more isolated members of the community.
Finally, The Duke will, of course, be selling Christmas trees again this year, but this time from the wonderful St Mary’s Church on Overton Drive. So, get yourselves down there to grab your favourite tree.
We really hope to see you at an event soon. If you would like to work with us in the future, please get in touch.
For more information and to get involved, email community@network-6.com
