We were saddened to lose our colleague, Minet Masho, in the early hours of Wednesday 17 April.
Born in 1971, Minet lived and worked in a variety of places, before making her home in Hackney. In September 2019 Minet joined Caritas Westminster, as the Development Worker for East London, and for the next four years she focused her energies on supporting social action initiatives in Hackney, Islington, Marylebone and Tower Hamlets. During the pandemic especially, and responding to growing food insecurity, she used her experience and networks to help several parishes and schools set up foodbanks and community dining projects.
Early in 2022 Minet was instrumental in helping to create the Stokey Community Food Shop, based at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Stoke Newington. This allows its members to choose from a range of fresh and non-perishable goods for as little as £4 a week – including culturally appropriate foods for members using the service. Stokey receives food via The Felix Project: on hearing of Minet’s death, their CEO, Charlotte Hill paid tribute, saying:
With her infectious enthusiasm, unwavering dedication, and excellent communication skills, Minet had a profound impact on people’s lives. We at The Felix Project experienced that time and again first hand when Minet supported or initiated food banks or food shops – grassroot community initiatives that are crucial to achieve what we envision: a London where no good food is wasted and no one goes hungry.
We will not only remember Minet’s encouraging ‘can-do’ attitude but also how proud she was to represent Caritas Westminster and Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish at an event with His Majesty the King at The Felix Project’s depot in Poplar in February last year. It was truly inspiring to have her with us on that very special occasion.
Minet herself relished being at that event, where she also met Sadiq Khan and other public figures, as well as the King.
Last summer, Minet partnered with Christians Against Poverty to set up a Job Club at the Congolese Chaplaincy, based in Commercial Road. This was to be her last initiative on behalf of Caritas and the people we serve, as soon after she became seriously ill, and had to take extended sick leave. However, by Easter she seemed well on the road to recovery, and was looking forward to returning to work. News of Minet’s death therefore came as an especially hard shock to her colleagues, who had been looking forward to welcoming her back.
Caritas Westminster’s Director, Richard Harries, says:
Throughout Minet’s sick leave I was regularly reminded by clergy and colleagues of her amazing contribution to the life of the Diocese. Minet was not just a valued member of the Caritas Development Team, but a beacon of kindness, compassion and dedication to our mission. I know her contribution to the work of Caritas Westminster will have touched countless lives in East London.
We send our condolences and assurance of prayer to Minet’s family, friends and all who will miss her. May she rest in peace, and rise in glory.
