Pleckgate High School’s IT Technician Talha Mulla is playing an important role in the community during Covid-19.
Talha has already taken part in multiple charity work over the years including helping out when the UK was flooded as well as travelling abroad to deliver food to refugees.
Pleckgate pupils and staff have helped him fund raise for various causes by holding events in school, such as bringing in non-perishable food and bucket collections.
Talha, with friends and family, started his own charity ‘Benefit Mankind’ in January and, with the coronavirus outbreak, they have had to spring into action straight away.
“We decided to start our own charity, I am one of two trustees, working on mainly UK projects. We started it with family and friends in January, registered it in February and it’s been non-stop since then.
“We have been very busy around Lancashire, from Blackburn to Bolton, Accrington to Preston.
“We have been dropping off food parcels as well as vital PPE.
“We have been to care homes, homeless shelters, hospitals and more.
“We work closely with Blackburn and Darwen Council, we have contact with them regularly to update them and they have praised us, and also with Blackburn Rovers footballer Bradley Johnson, we have been distributing PPE equipment on his behalf.
“We started taking donations of money and food and I would say we deliver between 150-200 meals every day.
“We have around 40 volunteers and they have been brilliant.
“Not only do we deliver food but we have a helpline number for the elderly and vulnerable and that has been busy.
“I think altogether we have raised around £10,000 so far and this has helped us to deliver around 7000 meals and we have also been delivering PPE.
“I think we were astounded to learn that in the area, care homes go through around 1,000 PPE a day so we have been sourcing it and giving it to hospitals, care homes, emergency services and people who need it.
“It’s been unbelievable, I am still working from home for Pleckgate, but it’s amazing helping the community in this way at this time.”
For more information or to donate, the website is https://benefitmankind.co.uk/
