Alyson Barnes
Rossendale council leader
I HOPE you had a decent Easter break despite the very difficult situation we find ourselves in.
Time with our families has been replaced with walks out; face-time and in my case some much needed tidying up.
Of course for many people this is coupled with tremendous worry and uncertainty.
Most of us have never experienced such a challenging time.
As a council we are trying to maintain as many services as close to normal as possible.
Many members of staff are now working from home to help protect their safety and maintain services.
The one stop shop in Bacup remains open and information is available via social media about how services can be accessed, particularly for those with urgent problems.
A key priority at the moment is making sure that all businesses that are eligible for government grants get these grants as soon as possible.
Government requirements, particularly around fraud, have meant that an application process has had to be put in place before people can access these grants.
The council are passing on business rate relief automatically but the grants are not being dealt with in the same way.
Staff worked over the Easter weekend to make sure payments went out.
If you think you are eligible for a government grant please complete the online application form or fill out the form that has been sent to you.
With the help of the Leisure Trust a Community Hub has been set up to make sure that vulnerable residents are able to access food and medication and are supported if they are feeling lonely or isolated.
The Hub - Rossendale Connected links people up to volunteers to assist with shopping where getting out for the basics is a problem.
For those struggling financially Rossendale Connected is also able to put people in touch with groups like RAFT or one of the food groups that operate in the borough. If you need help or know someone who does please ring 01706 227016 for more information.
I want to finish by paying tribute to all those people that are working hard to make sure that the things that need to happen day to day continue to happen and to thank all those that are doing what they can to care for and support people who cannot risk leaving their homes at the moment. Whether that’s local health professionals working hard to co-ordinate their activity to make sure that people can access the care or up to-date information they need or our fantastic community groups and volunteers. You are the people that make Rossendale what it is - a strong, resilient place full of decent people who care about each other.
We will get through this, we just need to keep MARCHING forward.