These are incredibly difficult times for our community, with many of us tragically losing friends and family members due to COVID-19. Our thoughts are with every single one of you that has suffered the loss of a loved one. Despite the great challenges that we face, the current crisis has highlighted many of the best aspects of society including the deep respect shown towards healthcare professionals and other key workers, as well as the volunteers and others who have gone above and beyond to make a positive contribution through such dark times.

At this difficult time our primary focus is supporting the elderly, vulnerable and those most in need within our diaspora. With the very generous support of John Christodoulou, Founder of the Yianis Christodoulou Foundation, we have proudly provided free food packages to those most in need, in our community across the UK who have got in touch. The food packages contain traditional Cypriot foods and are being prepared and delivered by Marathon Foods.

Having delivered packages to those most in need over the last month, and with enquiries now reducing, we are planning to close this initiative on Friday 22 May at 5pm. Once again, we would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to John, and his Foundation, for his support. As we bring this initiative to a close, we asked John for a few words and he said: “It’s been a privilege to help those most in need in our community at this difficult time. It is important to use these difficult times, as a life lesson. This will shape our society going forward. Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. ”

Please do contact us by 5pm on Friday 22 May if you, or anyone you know, are in need of a free food package. You can call us on 020 8445 9999, or email us at [email protected] and we will discuss your circumstances.

Please note, however, that we will continue to offer volunteers from NEPOMAK UK to do essential shopping or pick up prescriptions for elderly and vulnerable members of our community beyond this date.

As a Federation, we are standing by the side of our community at this difficult time. We will get through this together and we can make a substantial difference to those in our community who are most in need.

Christos Karaolis, President, 

and Secretariat of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK