City’s army of volunteers can help everyone through crisis
VULNERABLE people self-isolating in Cardiff are urged to seek help through services arranged by the city council if they need help getting food or essentials.
More than 1,000 people in the city have volunteered to help provide support to people in need during the Covid-19 pandemic.
And the city council is concerned that there may be vulnerable people without strong family support networks who need help but may not be accessing it.
Like other councils in Wales, the city is able to provide food parcels to vulnerable people who are self-isolating and are struggling to get food deliveries.
Together for Cardiff acts as a brokering service, matching people who want to help with volunteering opportunities across the city. Those looking for support can also search for help in their local area on the site.
A spokesman for the local authority had this advice for people self-isolating who were struggling financially to buy food or other essentials.
■ Call or email Adviceline on 02920 871 071 or advicehub@Cardiff.gov.uk for delivery of food/ essential items parcel;
■ For people self isolating who are not struggling financially but need help accessing services of support, the authority suggests contacting Meals on Wheels. Prices start from £3.90 Tel: 02920 537 080 Email: mealsonwheels@Cardiff.gov.uk;
■ Visit the Together for Cardiff pages on the Volunteer Cardiff Website www.volunteercardiff.co.uk. Click on “Find Help Near Me” and then select area and type of help needed. A range of local groups/ businesses will be displayed which they can then contact directly for help;
■ For those without internet access or for further info, call the Adviceline who will signpost people to approved local support groups 02920 871 071.
If you are not self-isolating but are struggling financially, the authority advises:
■ Call Adviceline 029 2087 1071 or visit Cardiff Foodbank website https://cardiff.foodbank.org.uk/ for information on how to obtain a Cardiff Foodbank voucher. Organisations which hold vouchers are listed on the site, as well as locations where food parcels can be collected;
■ Emergency food parcels can also be collected from four hubs – Ely & Caerau, The Powerhouse in Llanedeyrn, St Mellons and Central Library Hub. Anybody who attends a hub will be contacted by the Adviceline to discuss the root cause of a parcel being required and to offer support with benefit inquiries and more.
Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: “The response to Together for Cardiff has been nothing short of staggering and it is simply wonderful to see people around our city prepared to go out of their way to help others. My heartfelt thanks go to each and every one of you doing such an amazing job.
“The council is now co-ordinating huge operations to help people in need.
“Volunteers from among our staff and the community are supporting people who are struggling to buy food because of the impact the emergency has had on their finances, as well as those who cannot get out and about themselves to shop because they are self-isolating.
“Many council staff from various departments have been redeployed to our food strategy operations, collecting food donations, picking and packing food and distributing them to hubs and to people’s homes.
“I want to pay tribute to their tireless efforts too as together with our volunteers we all seek to make sure our fellow citizens have what they need to get through this. Thank you.
“We’re also very grateful to the businesses who have supported us with donations and are keen to work with more organisations who can support us.”