'I want our community to feel seen, supported and cared for'- Jarrow mam's Christmas eve meal initiative

Jamilah Hassan, a single mum from Jarrow has just launched a property business, JH Property Connect, to support local sellers with fast, caring solutions and connecting them with trusted investors.

Alongside the business, JH Cares (the brands community arm) will run its first-ever Christmas Eve Hot Meal Initiative and has already pledged over 100 meals by local restaurants, including:

• Wafi Lounge, South Shields

• Twenty Twenty, Newcastle

• Dood, Newcastle

• Turkish Kebab House, Hebburn

• Abbey’s, Hebburn

• Abbey’s, South Sheilds

• 19Twenty Bar & Grill, Durham

• Aneesa’s, Newcastle

Jamilah said: “Each one of them volunteered straight away, no hesitation, just genuine care and excitement about our initiative.

“I’m hopeful we’ll be able to reach 150 meals by Christmas Eve.

“I’ve met with The Peoples Kitchen in Newcastle who will be taking half of the food donated and giving it to their service users, families in need and the homeless, and I’m currently trying to find somewhere in South Shields where we can deliver the rest.

“It will be myself and my family delivering and if we see anyone outside with no where to go on Christmas Eve, we’ll be able to give to them too.”

When asked how the idea for the initiative came about, she explained: “It started with my partner. He’d helped a friend in Scotland a few years ago doing something similar at Christmas and talked so wonderfully about it.

“I’m also Community Relations Manager for a Developer in Durham, so I live and breath community and getting to help people everyday as a job makes me so happy!

“So when I started my business at the start of this year, it was really important for me include a Community arm and focus on giving back to the communities I work in.

“This initiative comes from a really simple place. Just wanting people in our community to feel seen, supported and cared for, especially at a time of year that can feel incredibly lonely for some and especially with so much tension and division in our society today.

“As a British Muslim, I’ve always celebrated Christmas and it’s one of my favourite times of the year. I want to bring people together. Regardless of race/religion or life and experiences lived.

“As a single mam from Jarrow building my business from the ground up, I know how much a small act of kindness can mean.

“I wanted to create something warm, simple and human that reminded people that good still lives right here in our hometown and it can start with us.

Anyone who would like to support can:

• Restaurants can donate meals (anything at all is so hugely appreciated)

• Help with deliveries on Christmas Eve (Anyone who’d like to join is extremely welcome)

• Share the initiative so it reaches people who may need it and connect on socials @jhpropertyconnect