Dionne John is involved with multiple community projects across Enfield

*Dionne John set up a group during the pandemic to help deliver food to vulnerable people*

Dionne John has been a familiar face in Southgate for many years thanks to her work setting up a community partnership to tackle street crime and leading a campaign to make the area cleaner and greener.

But since the pandemic Dionne has also become known for her work in the east of the borough, where she helped establish a food delivery service, Together Our Community Survives (Tocs), which focused on providing African-Caribbean products for those who were self-isolating or experiencing financial hardship.

The success of this project led Dionne to be hired this year for a part-time role co-ordinating the new Enfield Food Alliance network, which is being supported by Enfield Council. Somehow she still finds time for her first job, running an after-school club in Haringey.

“I have always been involved locally in Southgate with issues in the community,” says Dionne. “It was in 2018/19 that we were having lots of muggings in Southgate and I thought we needed a public meeting about it.

“With the right people in the room I thought we’d get the right solution, but it didn’t get taken forward.”

Taking matters into her own hands, Dionne helped establish a network of local businesses and a street patrol backed by the police, under the name Enfield Street Watch.

Then, with the onset of the pandemic and having been put on furlough, Dionne decided to use her time to help the most vulnerable people in Enfield. “I felt my skills were needed in the east of the borough so I contacted Enfield Caribbean Association to see if I could help them.”

This led to the creation of Tocs which, with help from volunteers, delivered hundreds of food packages during the first months of the pandemic. Dionne later established Grassroots, a network of foodbanks and community pantries.

“After I went back to work, my role became more strategic,” Dionne says. “The core of it is tackling poverty and inequality. When I stepped into these roles in the east of the borough, I looked at representing people and making sure they have access to what they need.

“I see myself as a facilitator – I am a people person, I can join the dots together.”

This article is the latest in our ‘Enfield Community Heroes’ series, sponsored by Edmonton Green Shopping Centre. Dispatch readers are welcome to nominate their own local hero – someone who has gone above and beyond to help support the local community. Simply email your nomination to [email protected].

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