Lockdown heroes helping out again
Windsor: Volunteers step up once more for community
Volunteers around Windsor are stepping up to help the community once again as the new lockdown has seen more younger people and families stuck at home than before.
After the Prime Minister announced the nation would once again be going into a full lockdown on Monday night, volunteer networks across Windsor – many of which have continued supporting the community since the first lockdown in March – kicked into overdrive.
With those with medical vulnerabilities once again asked to stay home and shield themselves, and an increased number of cases forcing more households to self-isolate – particularly families – the West Windsor Hub has been busy doing food shopping and collecting prescriptions for people stuck at home.
Cllr Carole Da Costa (TBF, Clewer and Dedworth East), founded the West Windsor Hub when the first lockdown started.
She said: “We have had a
busy start to the week, we’ve probably done as many prescription collections and shops as we were doing in a normal week in the first two days of this lockdown.
“We have had a lot of people coming to us that we haven’t seen before, younger people and families.
“This week already I have suggested people call talking therapy on three occasions.”
With this lockdown striking in the middle of winter, a time when many people are already finding life tough, Carole fears that the mental health impact may be greater this time around.
She said: “It being winter makes it worse ... people’s moods are lower, I just feel a little bit that people are
more affected in the mental capacity this time.”
The West Windsor Hub has about 45 volunteers on its books supporting people in the area, with about 15 core members working regularly to help people most in need.
Having worked since the first day of the first lockdown in March, Carole is confident the team can handle the demands of a third lockdown, and is looking ahead with optimism now that a vaccine is out there.
She said: “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel because we do have a vaccine and we have to wait until our turn.
“As long as we follow the rules now, hopefully, we’ll get out of this sooner rather than later.”
West Windsor Hub is just one of many organisations helping out the community in the area during lockdown.
For more information on volunteering or support, visit allsaintschurchdedwor th.com/west-windsorhub/ and visit bit.ly/35gWGJr to see the full list of COVID-support organisations operating in the Royal Borough.