A s we are emerging from a long, dark, cold, challenging winter into a brighter spring (though not quite as warm as we might like), there is a growing sense that we are leaving the most acute stage of the pandemic behind, at least for the time being.

Of course, the impact of the pandemic will be long-lasting, especially in a borough like Newham that was contending with health inequalities, high levels of deprivation and homelessness even before COVID-19 hit. Across London, Newham has the highest proportion of residents directly affected by the economic impact of the pandemic – either on furlough or claiming additional benefits, with up to 42,000 jobs at risk.