This episode is a conversation between our consultant Rachel Krengel and Michael Parsons, Portfolio Manager at Guy’s and St Thomas' Charity, which is a foundation dedicated to addressing health inequalities in urban areas.

We’ve been working with them on a project to support 20 communities in Southwark and Lambeth during the Covid-19 emergency and beyond. We are piloting ways to get direct financial support into these communities, this has including working mutual aid groups, tenants and residents associations (TRAs) and other community groups.

They discuss how to effectively work closely with communities and how they avoided certain common pitfalls. They talk about how to get money to communities in a way that’s flexible and built on trust, while also complying with traditional regulatory requirements. Plus, they look to the role community groups can play in providing social infrastructure at a time when many charities and councils are struggling.