With another bank holiday on the horizon, people left isolated by the coronavirus pandemic are urged to be prepared.
Over the bank holiday weekend, North Yorkshire County Council is leading a relief service for anyone who needs help with getting essentials such as shopping and prescriptions.
Gary Fielding, the County Council’s Director of Strategic Resources, said:
We have staff and extra volunteers ready to meet any additional demand but people are encouraged to think ahead about what they might need.
The Easter relief operation proved incredibly successful, and the widespread positive response to the call to be prepared meant there was only modest demand for help with shopping and other essentials over the four-day break.
The County Council is working with 23 community support organisations alongside partners and the voluntary sector who look out for those identified as vulnerable.
Residents are being urged to check on their neighbours, particularly if they have helped somebody in the first few weeks of lockdown and haven’t been in contact since.
Gary Fielding added:
I would like to thank our residents who are continuing to look out for those left isolated and the countless volunteers supporting vulnerable people at this difficult time.
While the support organisations take a well-deserved break our staff and extra volunteers are going the extra mile to plug the gap and make sure everybody has what they need this weekend. I want people to feel reassured that we are here to help.
If you can safely do your own food shopping or can ask friends and neighbours to help, please go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/help-you-during-coronavirus-covid-19 for information about arrangements at national supermarkets.
For details of shops, pubs, restaurants and catering businesses in your area, or shops who are offering deliveries and takeaways, please visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/buy-local
People in need of help or who will need the County Council to support vulnerable friends and neighbours should call its customer service centre on 01609 780780. It is open seven days a week from 8am to 5:30pm including bank holidays.
