FREE ISSUE 38. FEBRUARY 2021 OVER 7,000 GET THE VACCINE Medical professionals have been leading online Local GP Dr Agnelo Fernandes said: "These vaccines vaccine debates urging members of the BAME are safe and effective and it is an honour to be able community 'don’t die of ignorance’ after a low to protect our patients and help local people get take up of the jab. through this pandemic.” Croydon BME Forum has joined forces with local Among those happy to receive the jab was West organisations in a bid to inform the black community Thornton councillor Janet Campbell (pictured). about the Covid-19 vaccines to encourage residents BME Forum CEO Andrew Brown said: “We know to make informed choices. many have concerns, which is why they are hesitant So far over 7,000 people have now received their to take the vaccine, so over the next few months we Covid-19 vaccination at St Paul's Church thanks to will be engaging with local communities to give them an amazing community effort from doctors, nurses, a chance to ask experts about the vaccine so that they surgery staff and volunteers. can make an informed decision." TURN TO PAGES 6 & 7 SCHOOL'S EMERGENCY HIS GRACE FOOD COUNCIL RENEGES APPEAL FOR PUPILS BANK APPEALS FOR ON SALE OF LODGE FACING FOOD POVERTY he council school has taken the unprecedented DONATIONS TO FEED has step of setting up a Go Fund Me T A reneged appeal to support several families that 100 STRONG QUEUE on a public require urgent assistance to help them statement through the coming months to ensure TURN TO PAGE 7 it made a that children have basic access to food, have been suffering or self-isolating from population, are struggling with a lack of year ago that it sanitation, warmth and education. the coronavirus and are unable to leave stimulation, expertise and equipment that would NOT The Paxton Academy on London Road has the house, with staff also referring a would normally offer them assistance sell Heath 50 per cent of students living in households number of families to local food banks. with their learning. Although schooling Lodge in that can be described as within the top 25 is being offered to vulnerable children, Grangewood Many Paxton families were living on the per cent most deprived in the UK and 94 many are frightened to take this up and Park. breadline before Covid-19 struck - but per cent within the top 50 per cent. put themselves at risk of the virus. now they are in far a worse position The bankrupt council had kept secret the Each week, 127 of the 195 children at which is why the school has launched the The start to the Spring term, was like no list of assets it planned to sell discussing Paxton, which is part of the Wandle £8,000 appeal target. other for Paxton explained Headteacher Learning Trust, receive Free School not open to the public. Now the details Parents have lost their jobs, food and Meal vouchers to use in local supermarkets. weeks, the school has undertaken a huge ithave under been Part revealed B, which in papersis confidential which and utility bills have increased with the Theresatransformation Moses andin providing over the anlast education five were meant to be discussed at cabinet on During this most recent lockdown, staff children at home all day, every day and for the children, whether in school or Thursday (Feb 18) but have been delayed have also delivered shopping to the many students, especially those with remotely at home. homes of children and their families who SEN which is 14 per cent of the student TURN TO PAGE 8 TURN TO PAGE 11 hunt for evil acid attacker who blinded teenage refugee wo refugees who fled a brutal The violent and unprovoked attack has Speaking to The Chronicle he said: “It is BARBER CUT WITH Tdictatorship have spoken of the shocked the community and in a renewed very hard for me to explain. Mentally and terrifying moment they had acid police appeal for information, to prevent physically I have lost so many things. £10K COVID FINE thrown in their faces on a Thornton the assailant striking again, Crimestoppers "I wish I could go to church and pray with my barber shop in Thornton Heath has Heath street, blinding one of them. have offered a £5,000 reward. people. But now, nobody is able to help me. It Abeen issued with a £10,000 fixed However, it is little solace to the victims, is the worst experience I have ever had penalty for flouting Covid-19 rules. aged 19 and 25, refugees from Eritrea, “We come from Eritrea. In this country we The barber was busted by Thornton don’t have the opportunity to study because Heath Safer Neighbourhood Team will live with the scars and trauma of that of the dictatorship. on February 6, after they visited the day forever. who burned and disfigured by the acid premises and found 15 customers "It was a long journey to the UK, I suffered a The Croydon based Da’aro Youth Project awaiting hair cuts. Their details were lot in Libya and in Calais. I believed that the charity which is working with the victims also taken. UK was a good country, where people believe has raised over £20,000 after setting in law. I didn’t think this kind of attack would Police have dished out a number of up a JustGiving page to help deal with happen to me here. the life-changing injuries caused by the have been carrying out checks of shops horrendous attack on Monday December "I just thought I could study and help my finesacross for the breaking three Thornton the Covid Heath rules wards.and 7 which happened on Gonville Road as family. I didn’t expect someone would attack they walked to college. me. My injury is forever. I didn’t expect this Shop workers were issued with would happen –I didn’t know about acid The 19-year-old sadly has permanent before this attack. I didn’t know what it was." did not wear masks. sight loss as a result of the attack. TURN TO PAGE 2 warningsTURN TOthat PAGE they 6faced fines if they thorntonheathchronicle.co.uk SUPPORT THE CHRONICLE IN 2021 OR IT WILL BE NO MORE editor@ FOOD PARCEL FRIDAY he Thornton Heath Chronicle has The Chronicle has always been funded on uiding Hands has been supplying door thorntonheathchronicle.co.uk Tbeen receiving record numbers of a shoestring . Gto door delivery of food parcels every page views on its social media sites. Friday during the Covid lockdown for @ThorntonHeathChronicle Support from Community ward budgets, people on Universal Credit or a low income. @THChronicle If every one of those tens of thousands which have now been axed by the of people had donated just £1 towards council and funding fron Thornton Heath The project is part of funding targeting #thorntonheathchronicle supporting The Chronicle we would have Community Action Team People’s Heath the BAME community and the parcels Trust bid, have paid for the printing and include plantain, green bananas, www.thorntonheathchronicle.co.uk design costs in the past. Sadly, we have had no support for our the funds to continue for five years. EDITOR Andrea Perry survival campaign from readers since the With barely any advertising and revenue The charity's Let's Cook Chef Kem, has pumpkin, cornmeal, saltfish and callaloo. DESIGNER: Jo Dawson, last publication. coming in we need your support more also been creating quick and easy dishes than ever. with interactive questions and tips for o advertise or if you have The numbers of people reading The meal ideas on its web-site.. Ta story email editor@ Chronicle news feeds demonstrates the To donate to The Chronicle survival thorntonheathchronicle.co.uk or The desire for local news and this edition, one campaign: For more info and to book your food ChronicleWhatsApp: 07930 354128 of our best, covers so many important and www.gofundme.com/f/support-local- parcel visit: Print circulation 5,000 copies. powerful issues. newspapers www.guidinghands.org.uk how to get involved EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH TEENAGE REFUGEE BLINDED BY ACID TURN FROM PAGE 1 in community action The teenager, who has leave to remain, outside. I didn’t have idea people could thanked donors: “I really appreciate for attack other people like this in the UK.” survey is asking residents to share what they have done. All of these people their ideas on what they would like The perpetrator of this acid attack had A who have supported me are very good a community group to achieve over the been seen by one of the victims a few people. May god bless them, would like to next two years and how they can help months earlier, on Monday September 7, thank everyone individually. to achieve that. when he called at their address claiming Alina Curea The 25-year-old victim, who suffered facial to have a letter for him. Volunteer led Thornton Heath Community burns and injuries to his eyes is an asylum- When the victim went into the street (as seeker from Eritrea still awaiting outcome for over a year on Zoom on Wednesday seen in the CCTV footage) the suspect of his claim said: “We left my friend’s ActionFebruary Team 24 atis holding6.30pm. its The first meeting, meeting the punched him in the face. house early to go to college. When we were walking to college, we saw a man with a DC Dimitri Savathrakis, of the South of the survey.