Burnham and Highbridge Coronavirus Community Support Group has handled over 500 enquiries during the last two weeks, helping local residents with a wide range of requests.
The group – which we featured here when it launched in mid-March – has provided help to scores of local people amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
“Over the period of this crisis there have been many difficulties faced by our community, yet this community has and continues to respond to meet them with compassion and strength in mutual support,” says the group’s Helen Brodie.
“Burnham and Highbridge Coronavirus Community Support group are proud to have played our part. We handled over 500 enquiries in our first 2 weeks working from a single landline. We continue to answer 20 plus enquiries a day.”
“We have now moved to a new number on 01278 393 231, seven days a week 10am until 2pm.”
The new number expands the group’s phone system allowing them to answer five calls at any one time and it also gives them a voicemail facility.
“Initially a lot of the calls were just for reassurance, people wanting to know that we were here if needed. The majority of our calls now are to arrange prescription collection and or delivery of essential shopping.”
“We have also had some ad-hoc requests in too e.g. books set in the wartime for a lady who is self isolating. And a request for a phone charger to be delivered to Weston hospital so that a father and daughter could keep in touch. Dad had remembered to take his phone when he was admitted but not his charger.”
“We have also answered a specific request for help from Highbridge Medical Centre. They noticed that a lot of their high risk vulnerable patients were driving to the surgery to queue up and wait to pick up their prescriptions at Lloyds pharmacy.”
“The assistant practice manager reached out to us to see what we could do. Working alongside the surgery we have managed to reach approximately 100 vulnerable people to let them know that we can, going forward collect and deliver their prescription for them.”
“We would like to make a mention of thanks to the Probation Service for the loan of some of their staff and vehicles, they have been a real asset in helping to support the most vulnerable members of our community.”
“They and our local volunteers are doing sterling work carrying out the requests for help and we know from the feedback that we receive what an impact they are making not only to those they help but their families further afield too.”
“Going forward we think there will be more of a demand for our ‘phone buddy’ service. This is a regular (to be agreed between the volunteer and resident) phone call. We recognise that some residents have no external contact with others and would welcome the opportunity just to have a chat.”
She added: “We are very grateful to Mushroom Management Ltd, who are paying for our phone service for us as they wanted to help groups such us ours.”
If anyone would like to use the group’s service they can contact them via the usual means – burnhamandhighbridge@gmail.com or 01278 393 231.
