Leader – Community pillars

A resurgent Covid is just one of many stressors facing residents as the cold season approaches.

The likely closures of four primary schools threaten families with upheaval. Parents of children with special needs can only hope that their little ones adapt when the time comes for them to move.

The long-awaited findings of the police watchdog’s investigation into the Child Q scandal has again brought into focus the suffering residents have endured at the hands of the police.

Add to that the constant pressure of rising living costs, and is it any wonder that Hackney has the “highest level of anxiety by population” of any borough? Two thousand people are calling the local crisis line every single month.

It is heartening to see local councillors take on the responsibility of carrying overdose kits – just in case they ever come across someone in need of help.

It is a caring thing to do, and sends out a message that community matters during hard times. It is one we would all do well to hear.

Check on your neighbours, talk to friends, find clubs to help you meet people – like the over-60s diners at Hackney Showroom.

Build a support system for yourself and others, and try to fill in the cracks before anyone else slips through.