Communities and Volunteers

The good work continues – with even more of you stepping up to make a real difference in helping keep your neighbours, friends and your communities safe.
This week
Working together, the British Red Cross, British Red Cross Community Reserve Volunteers, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Preservation Service, Lincolnshire 4 x 4, LIVES, Lincolnshire Community Assistance Scheme (LCAT) have achieved:
• 530 spontaneous volunteers have offered support (these will be approached shortly to inform them of local indemnified groups in their area to whom they can offer their help).
• 414 groups (6764 volunteers within those groups) have offered support. So far, 198 of these have completed and returned their indemnity forms.
• 1398 Attempted outbound calls by the community volunteers team to people identified as being clinically vulnerable
• 660 Physical welfare checks carried out
• 275 Food parcels delivered
• 54 Prescriptions delivered
• More than 2000 calls have been answered by the Customer Services Team, through the Covid 19 Helpline for Lincolnshire residents seeking information and advice.
• Over 1500 requests received and subsequently supported by the Wellbeing Service Community Support Team from people needing assistance.
• 3400 successful outbound contacts made by the Customer Services Team to those in the Extremely Vulnerable or Shielded group, offering access to support should they need it.
• 1100 Residents connected to appropriate support utilising the NHS Volunteers, British Red Cross, Community and voluntary groups thanks to the Wellbeing Extremely Vulnerable Support Team.

Appreciation
It’s always nice to feel appreciated and people show their gratitude in different ways.

In Gainsborough, volunteers from the Bearded Fisherman Charity help many people in need. Last week, when delivering the shopping to one particular resident in Noel Street in the town, the whole street came out and clapped.

In Heckington, an unknown resident has been doing a ‘ding, dong, ditched’ project.

Key workers in the village have had little gift bags of presents dropped by their front doors anonymously to say thank you.

The bags contain treats and each one is tailored toward the recipient. Some have received pet related products, others soaps and creams, or chocolate etc.

LIVES also received a personal thank you from a very grateful individual (see image above).

Proof that you volunteers really are making a difference to people’s lives!

Scammers and fraudsters
This challenging and unique situation we find ourselves in with the spread of coronavirus has seen amazing people, just like you, offering support to the most vulnerable people in your communites.

Sadly however, not everyone is like you.

We’ve already seen some people use this uncertain and really difficult time to exploit others. It’s likely that we will continue to see this over the next few months.

Victim Support put some tips together to help keep you safe, and also to protect those you’re helping.
• Tips for groups
• Tips for individuals
• Friends Against Scammers

Help for local hubs and councils
Giving World is a national charity offering help to local hubs and councils, supplying essentials including shampoo, bedding, nappies, washing powder and warm, clean clothing to the people in the medically shielded groups and other vulnerable people free of cost.

They are also providing patients and front-line staff with changes of clothing and personal hygiene products. Please contact Rama Bhalla at rama@givingworld.org.uk for more information or visit their website.

Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s have launched an initiative for volunteers to go shopping for others in need.The new Volunteer E-Gift card has been introduced to make grocery shopping safe and easy for people self-isolating or social distancing.

Simply send an E-Gift card to a friend, family or helper.

Head to sainsburysgiftcard.co.uk, choose how much money to add, who to send your E-Gift card to, then make your payment. Sainsbury’s will then send the E-Gift card to your chosen helper and they can then shop in store on your behalf.

The E-Gift card is cashless, thereby protecting both the helper and store colleagues.

Amazing things happening in the community
You volunteers continue to make a very big difference.

Pinchbeck and Spalding COVID-19 Kindness Team
Pinchbeck and Spalding COVID-19 Kindness Team are newly formed and already making a huge contribution to their community helping make food/care packages for people who are struggling.

The team are trying to keep up with demand but would be grateful for any contributions to these packages from those who are able to do so.
Chester and George Alford Care and Share Group and Mutual Aid Hub
‘Chester and George Alford Care and Share Group’ and ‘Mutual Aid Hub’ in partnership with Alford Town Council have a social media group, manned by volunteers and with over 1200 members.

This acts as a virtual community centre and citizen advice where local residents can ask for help on line. It also acts as a portal for all the local community groups to share things to do, offer support and keep everyone connected.

For residents without internet access, a telephone helpline is manned 7 days a week for people to access the same information.130 volunteers, all coordinated through the Mutual Aid Hub, also assist with food, pharmacy collections, shopping and wellbeing support.

Bardney Group Parish Council has joined forces with the local churches to provide COVID support similar to that with other villages. BGPC have developed a new 15 acre site for Community Land, providing much needed space for those taking daily exercise.

Ensuring staff and volunteers practiced social distancing and safe working, 420 trees have been planted and 12 acres of land have been seeded to create amenity land and a wood land walk.

Residents are also able to walk amongst the new Community Orchard. This area has created an alternative to just walking around the streets. For residents wanting takeaway food for a change, once a week a visiting chip van is being allowed to park on the community land!

Heckington
Heckington has a team of 4 co-ordinators 45 local volunteer residents, currently helping over 25 isolated and vulnerable households throughout the Parish.

With one volunteer allocated to each household they keep in regular contact with the ‘client’ to assist with shopping, prescriptions collection etc , in addition to already looking out for their own direct neighbours and other families through their own arrangements.

The local volunteer run magazine ‘Heckington Living’ has just set up a new internet radio station. Already very popular, listeners can phone up and leave music suggestions and dedications etc.

On a Sunday, the vicar from St Andrews Church does a short radio service for listeners.

Local children have been baking cakes and biscuits for key workers and volunteers and there are many craft initiatives where residents are making masks and gowns etc .
Mablethorpe Cares

The ‘Mablethorpe Cares’ volunteers, with support from the Town Council Clerk, have been busy for the last three weeks assisting more than 80 registered users with prescriptions and shopping, accessing disability aids, hot meals and food parcels as well as general signposting,

Contact with all users is maintained at least once a week. One grateful man, recently discharged from hospital, said he thought he would be dead if it wasn’t for their support.

Extraordinary support

Wragby Chef (Children eat Free) charity in Wragby who also run the food bank – ran out of potatoes.

The LCC Emergency Planning Team contacted Branston Potatoes and asked if they would be able to offer any support so the charity is able to continue to provide free meals to children and to supply vulnerable people at their food bank.

They were happy to help out and initially provided 50kg of potatoes (enough for 400 meals). These were collected by Lee from LCAT. More potatoes will be provided when they are needed.

Helpline
If you or anyone you support need advice or support remember the helpline number 01522 782189.

Finally
Those groups who haven’t returned your indemnity forms, please do so (enquiries can be directed to resilientlincs@lincoln.fire-uk.org or 01522 843410)

Remember, this newsletter is here for you. Please share your own good news stories, also, any ideas for other volunteers to help the residents in their area. Please send to mark.stoneham@lincolnshire.gov.uk