A community hero who delivered essential supplies and raised vital funds for those in need during the pandemic has been recognised.
Verral Paul-Walcott, who lives in Tottenham Hale, was crowned the winner of Heart of Hale’s Local Heroes competition.
The competition was run by the developers behind the Heart of Hale development which is seeing 1,030 homes built alongside 15 new retail spaces, a health centre and community facilities.
Verral received the highest number of nominations after he ran a delivery service with his cycling group to distribute food and other items to the homeless in 2020.
He said: "Once lockdown hit and everybody was forced to stay home, I realised that it was impossible for the homeless to stay home and stay safe. They couldn’t use food delivery services, or even access face masks."
Verral went on to launch a laundry service which allowed homeless people to get their clothes washed, as well as provided free school uniforms and Christmas presents to children.
He also supplied money to local cafes and shops so they could provide hot food to those in need.
Verral’s next mission is to raise enough money through to buy a van, which he will use as a mobile foodbank to deliver supplies to those in need. A donation will also be made by developer Argent Related to Tottenham Foodbank on Verral's behalf.
Pastor Tonye Philemon, manager at Tottenham Foodbank, said: "We are delighted to be the chosen charity following Heart of Hale’s Local Heroes competition and are grateful for the generous donation. Verral’s work in the community is truly inspiring and has made a huge impact on many people’s lives."
The story of Verral's work will be showcases on the hoardings surrounding the Heart of Hale development.
Tom Goodall, who is a partner and head of residential at Argent Related, said: "We were amazed by the number of entries we received to the Local Heroes competition, demonstrating just how important communities are in the wake of the pandemic.
"We are proud to celebrate all of Tottenham Hale’s local heroes. A huge variety of individuals were nominated, from tennis and football coaches to passionate volunteers – all with their own unique stories.
"Verral’s story is an inspiration and his dedication to help those in need stood out. We are delighted to be supporting his chosen charity, Tottenham Foodbank."
The search for more of Tottenham Hale’s heroes will continue with the next round of the competition launching later this year.
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