Small army of heroes has come to the fore to help those in need
THE past 12 months in Derby have seen the creation of a series of projects aimed at helping the public and which are expected to have a long-lasting impact on the community and its emergence from the pandemic.
Derby City Council, which is a partner in many of the initiatives, set the ball rolling with the setting up of the Community Hub, in April 2020.
People came forward in huge numbers last year when the city council put out a message asking who needed help – and equally importantly, for people to act as volunteers to link up with those shielding in their homes.
Councillor Alan Graves, leader of the city’s Reform Derby group, proudly declares that his ward of Alvaston provided the largest number of volunteers for the project.
He said: “Alvaston saw a flood of people keen to help others with shopping, medicines collection and general help.
“The number of unsung heroes is amazing. I also have to say that volunteers came from all parts of the city and these people should also be recognised for their selfless activities.
“The old British spirit has really come to the fore in the last year.
“Rachel Taylor, Haydn Pascoe, Kevin Pierpoint, Tim Prosser, Rev Jane Whitney, Sue and Frank Preston, David Adams, Lynn Hawkshaw to name just a few. Their activities included raising money to provide Christmas meals, creating a scarecrow event and putting up festive lights, decorating and helping someone to move house, creating a foodbank, making copper roses with proceeds going to doctors and nurses on the city’s Covid wards.
“I’m pretty sure I missed so many people off but, these people are representative of the good nature of community residents spreading good will and support to all.
“We are a nation of unknown heroes and Derby is overflowing with them.”
Rachel North, city council strategic director for communities and place, the community spirit engendered by the pandemic does not have to end and is a vital part of the city’s recovery.
She said it was amazing to see so many people come together to help out in a range of initiatives across the city, many of which will continue long after the pandemic has ended.
Ms North said: “Derby’s community recovery will see everyone working together across the city to build back health and wellbeing.
“The council role has changed. We are working with partners throughout the city with the council as the key coordinator, enabler, nurturer, and champion in creating opportunities for everyone from across the city to come together to maximise ideas, resources, and support to build our collective well-being in a post-Covid world.
“Recognising it is only by harnessing the energy of us all can we hope to impact on the challenges we will face as we understand the long-term impacts of the pandemic on our society.”
There are many community projects in the Derby area currently, which are hoped will bring increased health and wellbeing for the people who live here.
These include:
COMMUNITY HUB ‘There has been increased isolation, loneliness, and mental health issues for many residents and communities’.
This was developed with Community Action Derby as a joined-up and locality-based support in the wards to connect those wanting to volunteer to help others with those needing support.
The Derby Community Hub was set up soon after the first lockdown and is continuing to assist anyone in the community who is vulnerable, self-isolating, or needs support. They prioritise those with no family, friends or neighbours who can help them.
So far 1,867 people have volunteered and given more than 75,000 hours to provide support to people who need food or medication.
Derby’s community-led approach to the pandemic has been recognised across the country and internationally for its effectiveness.
And there is a desire and a commitment from the council and voluntary sector partners for the hub to grow and develop as a long-term part of its community work.
Those who need support can call In the year since its conception: Derby Direct on 01332 640000. Text ■ 250,000 items have gone through service for the deaf community: the central storage hub, which has 0777 4333412. now moved into a permanent base
The lines are open between 9am and many more food initiatives have and 5pm, Monday to Friday. There’s been developed and delivered. also a dedicated email at covidsupport@communityactionderby.org. ■ Work has also now started to move away from traditional food banks uk. and instead develop community shops, which create a more dignified offer, choice and access to wider support systems.
■ The new partnership that has grown out of the emergency, is set to lead a key part of our city’s recovery, and in time will continue to work to ensure those who experience food insecurity have access and support regardless of where they live in the city.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT ‘There are increasing risks of debt and financial exclusion for our residents, with Universal Credit claimants increasing by 15,125 in 12 months (October 2019 to 2020)’.
At the start of the pandemic, vulnerable people were asked to stay at home, supermarkets shelves were stripped by panic buying, people were facing employment uncertainty.
And those already experiencing financial insecurity were concerned about being able to access food banks and other support services.
In response, Derby City Council connected with the Derby Food Forum Network, which consists of independent food banks and community food providers to design an emergency food response service. It was aimed at ensuring no one was left without food during the first lockdown.
Within the first few weeks a temporary Central Food hub was established in St Alkmunds church – transforming the sanctuary into a fully operational warehouse facility.
This then supported a number of neighbourhood-based food distributions centres. This led to the creation of the new Food 4 Thought Alliance. The new scheme aims to tackle the underlining issues of food insecurity, providing information and advice alongside food, in order to offer a “hand up”, and not just a “hand out”.
POVERTY COMMISSION
‘More people across the city are at risk of poverty. Around 12,000 children in Derby (22%) live in low-income households and this is expected to rise, compared to 18% across England’.
Between April and December 2020, there was a 20% increase in the number of eligible children claiming free school meals, rising from 8,612 to 10,766. It also coincides with a big increase in claims for Universal Credit.
An increased number of food parcels were made available from last April, together with support from community groups and businesses.
The aim is to ensure that food provision, household support, the development of practical skills and access to activity programmes and use of government grants, will help to create a more sustainable programme going forward.
The Poverty Commission is now up and running, independently chaired by Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby.
CLIMATE CHANGE COMMISSION
This aims to be a catalyst for action by coordinating Derby’s response to climate change by strategically joining up local expertise, energies and resources.
It will act as a forum where organisations can exchange ideas, research findings, information and best practice in carbon reduction and climate resilience.
There is an expectation that it will make the economic case for project development, implementation and investment in low carbon and climate resilient projects, with a science-based approach.
The commission aims to deliver a city-wide climate change strategy and associated action plan with agreed date for carbon neutrality.
There will be an annual report monitoring project delivery and evaluating progress across the city towards carbon neutrality, with an annual symposium or public event providing an opportunity to share the Commission’s work to a wider audience.
The commission is chaired independently by Dr Chris Bushell, of the University of Derby.
WORK WITH ROUGH SLEEPERS ‘The city council has recorded more than 1,600 homelessness approaches (including those at risk of losing their home) in the first nine months of 2020/21, despite national policy to limit evictions during COVID-19’.
The number of rough sleepers in Derby is at its lowest in a decade, according to recent figures.
The city council has been working with homelessness forum partners to discuss future provision of supported accommodation and there are regular reviews of the rough sleeping action plan.
The number of rough sleepers that were recorded in Derby last autumn was six, compared to 14 in the equivalent period last year and 37 in 2017.
Derby was one of the first places to enable rough sleepers to access hotel accommodation during the initial lockdown.
BEAT THE STREET
Building on success of a pilot in Sinfin, in August 2020 – this is a programme to encourage people to get moving to improve their physical health and have fun.
It is a free, interactive challenge that encourages people of all ages to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives by turning the city into a six-week game.
The game is completely contactless and players take part in their family groups or support bubbles.
Players are encouraged to explore their local area by walking, cycling, running, wheeling or scooting within the game area and there are prizes for the teams who score the most points.
The outdoor game will be familiar to residents of the Sinfin ward who played the game in autumn last year and together travelled 20,462 miles.
As soon as the restrictions are lifted, the whole of Derby will be invited to play. Players use a free card or fob which they hover over special sensors called Beat Boxes which will appear on lampposts around Derby.
BRILLIANT DERBY
‘Between April 2020 and the end of December 2020, there was a 35% increase in referrals, compared to 2019, to the council’s adults multiagency safeguarding hub, with increased complexity of need in the cases being supported’.
Brilliant Derby is a key part of the City’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and the Derby City Partnership has teamed up with respected wellbeing and happiness expert Dr Andy Cope, from Derby.
This is to deliver the workouts, which will introduce some basic principles, tools and techniques to help us take charge of our own wellbeing.
In the same way that people might go to the gym to improve physical fitness, the Brilliant Derby Wellbeing Workouts are designed to look after mental health. These workouts are aimed to give people back that spring in their step.
The long-term aim of the project is to make a stand against the rising tide of mental ill health. It is chaired by Adam Buss, chief executive of Quad.
Sessions premier on YouTube and are available to catch-up at any time.
SUPPORT TO PRIVATE SECTOR RENTERS AND LANDLORDS
Call Before You Serve (CB4YS) is a free, specialist and impartial service for private rented sector landlords, and is designed to help them avoid serving an eviction notice by dealing with tenancy issues early.
CB4YS is operated by Derby Homes on behalf of Derby City Council and provides a range of services including:
■ Help creating a housing plan.
■ Help to resolve rent arrears and a financial assessment service.
■ Advice and signposting about leasing properties to supported housing providers.
■ A free, tenant-finding service for any vacant properties.
As the coronavirus pandemic put extra pressure on many people’s finances, the Coronavirus Act gave protection to renters by calling a temporary halt to eviction proceedings. As a result, landlords were left with a sudden loss of income and no means of retrieving rent arrears.
The council took a proactive approach to counter this focusing on prevention and alternative options for private landlords, whilst also protecting the interests of tenants and reducing the risk of homelessness.
While problems with tenants in social housing can often be identified quickly by local authorities,
Recently, the CB4YS scheme was identified as best practice by the Local Government Association. personalised
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AND NEW SKILLS
‘Youth unemployment (18 to 24-year old) has increased from 4% to 10%. At December 2020, 7.5% of young people in Years 12 and 13 were not in education, training, or employment (NEET) or their activity was not known’.
It is important that young people are supported into employment and supplied with new skills , otherwise there will be a lost generation.
At the height of the pandemic, 35% of the city’s workforce was furloughed. The council has paid grants to support businesses worth over £45 million, with payments continuing.
But inevitably, many jobs have been lost which will not return and this means it is vital that the council, Department for Work and Pensions, Derby College and the University of Derby continue to work together to ensure available funding can be accessed and appropriate skills can be taught.