'I felt protected': the community that refused to leave anyone behind

At 263 days of shielding, Jo Leigh was terrified. Then a neighbour she had never met brought her a heater — and everything changed. The story of Merton's pandemic mutual aid network is also the story of how Little A.R.K. learned that fabric and kindness travel the same distance. Jo Leigh, 54, has multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. When coronavirus arrived, she was told her chances of survival if she contracted it were less than 50%. She had no choice but to shield — alone, in her flat — as the weeks turned to months.

When her heating broke down, she posted on the Merton Mutual Aid group asking if anyone knew a plumber. Syebvonne Nguyen, deep in her mask-making work, brought her a heater instead. The two became friends. While Syebvonne supported Jo through the loneliness, Jo made sure Syebvonne stopped to rest.

Merton Mutual Aid was founded in March 2020 by 18-year-old Zakaria Dada. Within three days it had 1,000 volunteers. Syebvonne was one of the core volunteers working tirelessly to support the community. At its peak it was a WhatsApp-based web of connection spanning the whole borough — people delivering food, collecting prescriptions, doing the small and enormous things that kept isolated neighbours safe.

This is the ecosystem that Little A.R.K. grew from: the understanding that community is not a project but a practice. That fabric masks and heaters and WhatsApp messages, a hot meal for a key worker — these are all made of the same material: the decision to show up.