Coronavirus: Community Reassurance Teams provide crucial support to vulnerable residents
We are all having to adapt quickly to a new way of life to help reduce the spread of coronavirus, and everyone will at some point need support.
Shropshire Council’s Community Reassurance Teams have been providing crucial support to vulnerable residents in need to make their lives a little bit easier, and relieve a little stress where possible during the pandemic.
Staff from across the council have been redeployed to ensure vulnerable residents countywide have access to the support they need.
We continue to proactively phone residents who, from our records, we feel might be vulnerable, as well as those who are on the ‘shielded’ list, and the Community Reassurance Teams have already provided a range of crucial support.
Food parcels for those in need
An emergency Food Hub was set up in March 2020 for food parcels to be delivered to vulnerable people until the national delivery scheme announced by the Government could begin.
Deliveries continue to take place right across Shropshire, from Ludlow to Whitchurch, Clun to Ellesmere, and Highley to Dorrington.
To date, 5,690 miles have been travelled by Community Reassurance Teams to deliver food parcels – the equivalent of travelling to South Africa.
Over the past two weeks, food and essentials to 710 Shropshire to residents with additional needs who have been thrilled with what they have received:
Over the Easter period 158 food parcels have been delivered to families with children with additional needs.
Shropshire Council staff preparing food parcels to be delivered to vulnerable Shropshire residents
Although national deliveries are now being made, the Food Hub is now delivering top up supplies to the vulnerable, including those with special dietary requirements. The Food Hub will also be delivering food parcels for people who are newly unable to afford food due to the impact of coronavirus.
Shropshire Council is working with local food banks to ensure parcels continue to be delivered to those in genuine need.
Buying food for vulnerable residents
There are vulnerable residents right across the county who are able to afford to buy food and essentials, but are not able to leave the house as they are self-isolating.
Initiatives have been put in place for the crucial continued support of these residents.
To make the lives of these residents easier and to help reduce stress, we have been buying food and essentials on their behalf and receiving payment from them online or over the phone.
There are however, elderly residents who do not have cards and are no longer able to get out cash due to self-isolating. The Post Office are rolling out a new initiative to banks to combat this, whereby a resident can ask a trusted friend or volunteer to withdraw cash at any Post Office a single-use voucher. Please contact your bank to see if they are taking part in this scheme.
Where residents still need support, we have developed a system that enables our Community Reassurance Teams to order and deliver food and other supplies, with costs being recouped at a later date.
Deliveries are being made by local businesses or community groups as part of a true collaboration to keep vulnerable people safe and well. If no such service is available, Community Reassurance Teams are delivering.
Working with communities
We are working closely with over 480 local community groups, town councils, parish councils and businesses to provide crucial support to vulnerable residents.
These partnerships are helping Shropshire Council reach vulnerable people countywide and ensure everyone has access to the support they need to make their lives a little easier.
A grant fund worth £75,000 has been made available by Shropshire Council to support community groups.
Do you need support?
If you need support or know someone else who does, you can call us on our dedicated helpline: 0345 678 9028 or email customerfirst@shropshire.gov.uk.
You can find more information about funding and support for communities on the Shropshire Council website.
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.
