Coronavirus: Food parcels now available for those most vulnerable in Shropshire
Shropshire Council are providing food parcels to those most vulnerable and who don’t have family or friends, to help them not go hungry.
The scheme is in response to the Government letter sent to those who have been advised to be ‘shielding’* from the coronavirus (COVID-19).
1,500,000 people in England have been identified as being the most vulnerable. The process asks people on the most vulnerable list to identify themselves if they don’t have family or friends, to help them access food.
Shropshire Council is working to support these people, who because they are being ‘shielded’, cannot get out to go shopping. This will include putting people in touch with local organisations that will help them, as well as providing food where it is needed.
Food parcels are starting to be delivered to people this week; and more food parcels will continue over the next few weeks, to ensure they continue regularly to reach everyone on the Government’s list.
Food parcels will also be delivered to others who have been identified as needing support, outside of being on the ‘shielding’ list of the most vulnerable.
Member of staff Pete Banford, who’s been out in the community delivering food parcels to the most vulnerable who are ‘shielding’, said:-
“First 10 boxes delivered. It’s quite an experience delivering the food, people were so grateful and some genuinely scared (for obvious reasons) to open their doors.
“However, seeing how grateful people are is something that all involved in this should see.”
Food parcels being readied for taking to homes of the most vulnerable. Pete Banford is furthest to the right of the photo.
Shropshire Council are asking anyone who have either received the Government’s letter about being identified as one of the ‘most vulnerable who should be shielded’, or anyone else who is in need of support and cannot get access to food, to call the Coronavirus Helpline on 0345 678 9028.
Advisers will be able to ensure that people who are ‘shielding’ are receiving the support they need over the coming 12 weeks and onwards.
Coronavirus: Community advice and support
Andy Begley and Karen Bradshaw, Shropshire Council’s acting interim chief executives, said:-
“We urge those who have received their letter from the Government and NHS to contact our Coronavirus Helpline.
“The first food drops have begun, and are continuing this week, and we thank those teams who are making this happen. Those involved are working with food suppliers to create an ongoing, manageable service to keep our vulnerable residents supplied.
“Throughout last weekend staff from Shropshire Council have been working to identify those in need, create hubs, create distribution networks, and making the wide range of other efforts required to distribute food to such an enormous county in such a short space of time: an incredible effort by all.”
*’Shielding’
‘Shielding’ is for people, including children, who are at very high risk of severe illness from the coronavirus. It’s also for their family, friends and carers.
Those who have received a letter from the Government will be asked to stay at home completely for the next 12 weeks to ‘shield’ themselves from catching coronavirus.
This means you should not go to the shops or walk in public places, as well as avoid face-to-face contact, unless with medical professionals.
You can find out more about shielding here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19
Further information
Keep informed and sign up to our daily Coronavirus email updates
Shropshire Council wants to keep you as up to date and informed as possible. To help us do this, we have developed a coronavirus update, that will be sent daily at 8pm via email to anyone who has signed up to our e-bulletins.
This update includes the day’s key Shropshire Council news relating to coronavirus-linked issues. Please click here to sign up for the updates.
Please do encourage your family and friends to sign up to the updates too. This will help us keep everyone up to date with the rapidly-evolving crisis.
Please also see the council’s coronavirus webpages at shropshire.gov.uk/coronavirus.
You can also follow us on Twitter @shropcouncil, Instagram @shropshirecouncil and Facebook, and help share our messages. It’s more important than ever for us to get information out to as many people as possible across the county.
