10/04/2020 - Permalink

Coronavirus: Easter bunny to visit Shropshire families

Related topics: Children's services / Community / Coronavirus / Health

An Easter treat is to be included in food parcels being delivered to Shropshire families following a kind donation from RAF Museum Cosford.

In total, 1,250 chocolate eggs have been received by Shropshire Council and will be delivered to households around the county by the Community Reassurance Teams.

An image of a Shropshire Council member of staff with one of 1,250 chocolate eggs that will be delivered to households affected by coronavirus.

Despite coronavirus, the Easter bunny will be visiting children over the holidays who are in lockdown.

So far, over 300 food parcels have been distributed to vulnerable people in Shropshire and this will continue for as long as necessary.

One of the food parcels being delivered to Shropshire households

Karen Bradshaw, Acting Interim Chief Executive at Shropshire Council, said:

“We are delighted to be able to accept this kind donation from RAF Museum Cosford.  We received a call from Shropshire Fire & Rescue to see if we had use for 2,500 chocolate eggs in total. 

“Following conversations with Telford & Wrekin Council, we decided to split these eggs so half will be going to children in need in Telford.

“We are in very challenging times and it’s great that we are able to work with partner organisations to make things a little easier for residents and to bring smiles to children’s faces.”

Ella Hewitt, RAF Museum Public Events Manager, said:

“Easter is a really fun time of year for us at the RAF Museum Cosford and our Animal Easter Trail, with its chocolate prize is very popular.  We had 2,500 chocolate eggs ordered for the Easter holidays and due to the current closure, we didn’t want these going to waste, so we contacted our friends at the Shropshire Fire and Rescue to help us spread a little joy around Telford and the wider Shropshire area. We hope they are well received, and we would like to say a big thanks to the Shropshire Fire and Rescue team for their help distributing them.”

What are the Community Reassurance Teams

Shropshire Council has set up temporary area-based Community Reassurance Teams to support the response to coronavirus and to help the council make the lives of residents and businesses a little easier during this difficult time.

Community Reassurance Teams have been set up countywide:

  • North West (Oswestry, Ellesmere, Wem and surrounds)
  • North East (Market Drayton, Whitchurch, and surrounds)
  • Central – (Shrewsbury, Pontesbury, Minsterley, Atcham, Cressage and surrounds)
  • South West (Ludlow, Bishop’s Castle, Clun, Craven Arms, Church Stretton, Cleobury Mortimer and surrounds)
  • South East- (Bridgnorth, Highley, Broseley, Much Wenlock, Shifnal, Albrighton and surrounds)

These teams are made up of 25 members of staff from Shropshire Council who have been redeployed after volunteering their time.  12 members of staff are also delivering food parcels.

The Community Reassurance Teams are a local point of contact for groups, local councils and Shropshire Councillors.  Their role is to provide support to local communities, including the delivery of food parcels to those in need.

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, and some key news from our partners, 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.