Another busy week - again so many volunteers stepping  up to make a real difference in helping keep their neighbours, friends and communities safe.

To date, 458 individuals have offered their support. All have been contacted and signposted to the organisations they can support.

Breaking this down further, 401 groups (a total of 6751 individual volunteers within these groups) have completed and returned their indemnity forms.

By returning these forms, these groups will now be able to be tasked by the LRF to carry out work on its behalf.

This week

With the help of the British Red Cross, British Red Cross Reserve Volunteers, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Preservation Service, Lincolnshire 4 x 4. LIVES, Lincolnshire Community Assistance Scheme (LCAT), volunteers across the county have so far made 1,080 telephone calls, carried out 285 welfare checks, arranged 112 food parcels, and collected and delivered 30 prescriptions.

• 1567 – phone calls made by volunteers
• 405 – Welfare checks carried out
• 216 – Food parcels delivered
• 35 – Prescriptions delivered

Feedback

We are all in this together and going the extra mile out a sense of community spirit, nevertheless its good to get some positive feedback. Here is some received this week from someone of the clinically vulnerable list.

"We're quite overwhelmed by the care and attention we are receiving. It's so reassuring during this difficult and uncertain time. Thank you all for being there."

We continue to work around the clock to ensure those who need help, have it. BUT – we couldn't do it without you. Keep up the good work!

Payment Options for Shopping

If you are supporting people who are isolating by helping them with shopping, you may want to pass on to them the payment options currently available.

Whilst there are a variety of payment options available, relying on others involves an element of risk. They should keep the following in mind:

• Only use the recommended payment options below.
• Make sure to ask the volunteer to show you their ID on the phone.
• Keep the value of money on any vouchers or pre-paid cards low – e.g. approx. £45
• Do not share any unnecessary personal details with the volunteer.

• Supermarket click and collect service – Where possible, and if able, we are encouraging people to use a click and collect service if this is available. Customers can place the order online and then share a reference number with the volunteer who can go and collect the shopping.
• Phone, pay and collect – If possible call a local trusted shop and place an order for shopping and also make payment over the phone. Then when ready, a volunteer can go and collect the shopping for you. Please note major supermarkets are unable to support this process.
• Payment over the phone at check out – This option allows a volunteer to go to a local store, collect items and then payment details for the shopping can be taken over the phone by the shop assistant.
  1. Check with the local store to see if this is an option. Most Spar stores have confirmed this payment option.
  2. The volunteer can then be given a shopping list and a code word for use at the till. 
  3. When at the till, the volunteer will share the code word with the shop assistant. Please note major supermarkets are unable to support this process.

Amazing things happening in the community

Spilsby Christian Fellowship

Spilsby Christian Fellowship, in an effort to support parents, have been producing Together at Home activity packs, which include crafts and colouring kits.

Parents are encouraged to post pictures of the crafts being completed and this has opened a new means of communication, enabling families to feel both together and supported.

The first pack was distributed freely to 35 families and additional packs were purchased to be sent across the country.  

These packs are being paid for through toddler group funds, however in order to make the packs available to more local families they have applied for a local councillor grant.

Northorpe and Thurlby volunteers

These volunteers  are taking 10 calls a day for local residents requiring help with shopping, prescriptions and people just wanting a chat.

They have printed a thousand mini village magazines and delivered them to all the houses in the area.

They have also made jams and puddings for vulnerable and isolated residents and distributed a small fruit mountain that was donated to the villages
 

Hogsthorpe Volunteers Group

24 volunteers from Hogsthorpe have been working to ensure every resident of the village received whatever support they needed.

They have carried out numerous shopping trips and operated a dog walking service and built a phone buddy network offering friendly chats which doubles as a safety check on individuals.

This service is largely run by their self-isolating volunteers who wanted to help despite being housebound.

The greengrocer from Chapel Garden Centre has donated eggs, potatoes and some vegetables and the village hall has been opened for an hour every day to sell, or donate where necessary,  produce to the village and aso to operate a jigsaw and book exchange.

A delivery service has also been carried out for those self-isolating and profits have been used to support those in financial difficulties with food parcels. 
 

Mablethorpe Coastal Community Team

The Mablethorpe Coastal Community Team has been producing an information booklet which has been emailed, printed and delivered to residents. It includes useful information and local support available for residents.
 

Tealby and Walesby Joint Community Action Group

Tealby Community Shop has teamed up with local bakers to present fresh baked scones and chocolate brownies to all elderly residents as an Easter treat.

These were delivered by volunteers and street wardens to nearly 60 homes across the Easter weekend.

Walesby have encouraged all residents to place a drawing or painting of a rainbow in their windows as a show of community support for the NHS.

Featured on BBC news and radio – Tealby photographer Chris Waud has been taking portraits of locked down residents in Tealby village during his daily exercise walk
 

Hemingby Community Support Group

Hemingby volunteers are looking after the vulnerable and self-isolating residents – collecting shopping or prescriptions, dog walking, making phone calls to neighbours, and making wash bags and scrubs for local hospitals.

The Coach and Horses Public House opened up a grocery store and are making deliveries of dry goods, fruit, veg, fish, meat and drinks to villagers.

They have also been providing a takeaway / delivery meal service including a curry night and fish and chips. Last week they cooked, served and delivered 73 meals as the traditional fayre for Good Friday.

Play Area Committee mums and children made Easter cards for all the children and some of the older people in the village and delivered them along with a little Easter Bunny surprise.

Coningsby, Tattershall and the surrounding area Community Support Group

(coordinated by Coningsby & Tattershall Lions Club and the Bain Valley Group of Churches)

The group are currently supporting 102 people who need support with shopping and prescription collection and a regular phone call. They are also delivering free food parcels to families with children who are eligible for free school meals.

The Community Support group received donations of materials from Grafters of Coningsby and from local individuals.  Individual volunteers have made anywhere between 6 to 40+ wash bags each and some are still making many more.

Some are also making scrubs as a result of the appeal that was made on the local radio station. A huge thank you must go to everyone who has contributed in any way to provide wash bags for the NHS.

In addition they have also received donations of toiletries for the NHS staff. This was unexpected and goes to show just how generous and kind hearted Lincolnshire folk are.

The group also received a grant from Lions Clubs International for £1,000 and this will be used to provide support for the community.

Do you have any Good News Stories?

Do you have any really good ideas or great initiatives which could be adopted by other communities?

Please let us know so we can share your good work – send to mark.stoneham@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

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).