Praise for work supporting shielding residents

Tributes have been paid to a community partnership of volunteers and council staff who supported more than 8,000 shielding residents during the pandemic.

People classed as clinically extremely vulnerable had been confined to their homes for more than a year before guidelines around shielding were lifted on March 31.

During this time the Royal Borough set up a partnership with volunteers across the area to provide food, medication and a befriending telephone service to support those affected.

A combination of 150 council staff, more than 1,000 volunteers, 150 community information champions and 70 community groups enlisted to help.

The project included the establishment of a COVID-19 response call centre within 10 days of the announcement of the first national lockdown.

Councillor Stuart Carroll (pictured right), lead member for adult social care, children’s services, health and mental health, said: “The communities of the Royal Borough have been the true success story of the pandemic.

“This new way of community partnership has not only allowed the needs of our vulnerable to be adequately supported during the pandemic, but has also strengthened the Royal Borough’s resilience and connectivity in a way that traditional ‘command and control’ responses were unable to.”

The COVID-19 call centre worked alongside GPs, faith groups, charities, businesses, politicians and volunteers to help those confined to their homes.

The council said a team of community champions has also played a ‘crucial’ role in spreading important public health messages about coronavirus to residents it cannot reach.

Cllr Carroll added: “We’re stronger and more effective working as one.

“This fantastic new way of working will continue once the pandemic is over.”