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Covid-19 has prompted neighbours and communities to act with their hearts and support each other in so many ways during lockdown.
The amount of community spirit we are seeing during these uncertain times is truly amazing.
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:
- 952 - physical welfare checks
- 456 - food parcels
- 58 - prescriptions
- 418 - volunteer groups / 7,049 volunteers (224 groups have been indemnified and are being utilised by LRF)
- 600 - spontaneous volunteers have now been emailed and signposted towards Connect to Support on which are those voluntary groups who have come forward, been indemnified by the LRF and have given permission for details to go on the website.
The Customer Service Centre has answered over 3,400 calls through the Covid-19 helpline for Lincolnshire residents seeking information and advice.
The Wellbeing Service Community Support Team has subsequently received and supported over 2,000 requests from those needing assistance.
The Customer Service Centre has made over 9,100 successful outbound contacts to those in the Extremely Vulnerable or Shielded group offering access to support should they need it, together with the welfare checks completed through the CVC Cell, over 9,700 in this group have now had contact via this pathway.
The Wellbeing Extremely Vulnerable Support Team has enabled over 2,100 Lincolnshire residents to be connected to appropriate support utilising the NHS Volunteers, British Red Cross, Community and voluntary groups.
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Student Land Army
With the British summer harvest about to begin, the Greater Lincolnshire LEP are calling on students to support national food security, enlisting their help working on local farms to bring in the harvest and help keep the nation fed. 80,000 seasonal workers are needed to help bring in the harvest from the end of May and across the summer.
A Greater Lincolnshire LEP call is therefore going out for a Student Land Army – targeted at 6th formers, further education colleges, Universities and higher education facilities across Lincolnshire and for students on a break from education.
This campaign is being supported on social media. Twitter @GreaterLincsLEP and Instagram @ GreaterLincsLEP
A Student Land Army can have a significant impact on the national effort to overcome the pandemic emergency, whilst earning an income with their peers, and supporting personal goals. The Greater Lincolnshire LEP are encouraging students to share with their friends and join the #StudentLandArmy today!
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Foster Care Network
Could you give a child a loving home?
It's Foster Care Fortnight and the Lincolnshire Fostering Service is highlighting the need for more people to come forward and foster across the county.
Foster Care Fortnight is the Fostering Network's annual national campaign to raise the profile of fostering, and this year runs from Monday 11 to Sunday 24 May.
Cllr Patricia Bradwell OBE, Executive Member for Children's Services, said: "Nationally, there is a shortage of foster carers, and Lincolnshire is no exception. We are always looking for ordinary people to come forward who are willing to do something extraordinary and give a child a loving home.
"Fostering makes a real positive difference to the lives of children and young people who are unable to live with their birth families, for whatever reason.
"While the fostering service has been successful in recruiting carers across the county over the past few years, more foster carers are needed, particularly for teenagers, children with additional needs, those who require long-term homes, or brothers and sisters who need to be kept together.
"So we are actively recruiting foster carers for both short-term and long-term fostering, as well as for some specialist schemes.
"If you've ever considered fostering, now is the time to take that next step to support children in Lincolnshire."
You can apply to foster today at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/fostering or call the friendly team on 01522 554114 for more information.
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Recycling centres re-open
Household Waste Recycling Centres (tips) will be opening on Monday 18 May for garden waste and wood only. Other waste types will be accepted in the coming weeks.
To use the service, residents now need to book a time slot on www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/clickandtip.
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Amazing things happening in the community
You volunteers continue to make a very big difference.
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The Branston Parish Council Covid-19 Support Group & Branston All Saints Covid-19 Food Bank
Branston Parish Council Covid-19 Support Group and Branston All Saints Covid-19 Food Bank were set up on 23 March in direct response to the developing crisis.
A leaflet drop to every parish household was made and a dedicated Facebook page was set up that now has over 250 members.
The community response, impact and results have been nothing short of outstanding.
Within the first 50 days, 74 active volunteers have responded to 302 requests for assistance consisting of:
- Prescription collections - 153
- Shopping - 74
- Miscellaneous - 40 +
- Welfare visits - 22
This has resulted in over 92 Branston residents being regularly assisted, plus 16 from neighbouring communities being supported. Assistance also continues to be given to NKDC and Branston Co-op Pharmacy.
Of specific note is the advice and assurance that has been given to relatives, families and friends that have contacted the group from across the UK, Edinburgh to Dorset and indeed Northern Ireland and the United States of America.
The Branston All Saints Covid-19 Food Bank has been a resounding success too; with generous food and cash donations not only from residents but also from businesses.
To date it has been able to provide 15 food boxes for those in need, not only in the surrounding area but also in Bardney, Lincoln, Metheringham and North Hykeham.
In summary, the timely and effective response to this crisis has had a significant impact on the welfare, well-being, safety, protection and importantly the lives of all those residents who have been helped.
A huge debt of gratitude is owed to all the dedicated volunteers and businesses who have given their time and resources.
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Fleet Community Group
Since setting up their community group right at the beginning of the emergency, up to 20 volunteers in the small parish of Fleet have helped residents delivering prescriptions, shopping for them and keeping in touch.
In addition many residents, including children have busied themselves making scrubs and bags.
One volunteer, forced to self-isolate, has been busy baking for a local care home, key workers and elderly residents.
On VE Day homemade biscuits were handed out to the sheltered housing area to thank them for keeping safe.
Visors made by a local team in Boston have also been provided to the volunteers.
Neighbours are supporting each other. Ideas and communications are shared on the Fleet Facebook group 'Friends of Fleet'.
The Rose and Crown (the local pub) has been organising Sunday lunch take aways.
People are given an allotted time to collect their meal bringing their own plates and gravy boat.
This has also been very popular. Community spirit is alive and well in Fleet.
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Hogsthorpe Stay at home VE Day party
Despite lockdown, many people across the county still did their best to honour VE Day.
Hogsthorpe organised a VE Day Stay at Home Party. A party pack was distributed to every house in the village containing 1940's picnic recipes, lyrics to songs, a poster, a copy of the national toast and mini flags and cake toppers to cut out and use.
Residents were encouraged to;-
- Decorate their houses with red, white and blue
- dress up 1940's style or in red, white and blue
- a 1940's picnic
- observe the 2 minute silence
- join in with the national toast and right after the toast join in with a rendition of 'Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag' and 'We'll meet again' from individual gardens.
Prizes were awarded for the best dressed house and best picnic table.
Volunteers were thrilled when the majority of the village entered into the spirit of things and enjoyed a lovely day in their garden. Spirits were definitely revived in Hogsthorpe!
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Support for Covid-19 Community Groups
Neighbours and communities continue to act with their hearts and support each other in whatever way they can during lockdown.
YMCA Lincolnshire, through their Good Neighbour Scheme team, is working to support communities as they rise to the challenge of supporting their neighbours.
They have created a Good Neighbour Scheme toolkit. This is full of useful information, guidance and best practice advice to working with people who are isolating and in need of support.
Email gns@lincsymca.co.uk to receive a copy and to speak to a member of the team.
In addition to the emergency Covid response. they aim to provide support to those groups who wish to carry on helping their neighbours past lockdown to become constituted and self-sustaining Good Neighbour Schemes, thereby continuing to improve the quality of lives of local people.
Providing practical and emotional support to their vulnerable neighbours and creating an environment where people feel safe and secure because they have genuine connections with one another.
For further information about the Good Neighbour Schemes – please visit the website .
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Helpline
This week the LRF have been delivering PPE and were struggling to get someone to actually deliver them.
Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue stepped in and delivered to Nettleham PC trust and another in Gainsborough.
Both were extremely grateful for the effort made by LRF and LFR in making those deliveries possible!
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Daily Updates
The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum will broadcast daily updates, Monday to Friday at 1.30pm on BBC Radio Lincolnshire. Tune in to hear more.
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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 continue to share your own good news stories, also, any ideas for other volunteers to help residents. Send to mark.stoneham@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
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