Community support to stay available until end of July

EXCLUSIVE Volunteer Centre

CHARITIES and organisations across the borough are striving to support the community during the coronavirus crisis.

Those working with WokinghamBorough Council on the One Front Door initiative include the Wokingham Borough Community Hub, First Days Children’s Charity, Citizens Advice Wokingham, Link Visiting Scheme, Wokingham Foodbank, the Wokingham Volunteer Centre and Involve Community Services.

Over the last nine weeks, Citizens Advice have helped more than 1914 households through One Front Door, which signposts people in the appropriate direction to get the help they need.

Of those households, over 568 are classed as extremely vulnerable.

The organisation, which has 85 volunteers working from home, offers guidance and support on a range of issues from benefit and employment enquiries to food and prescription requests.

Jake Morrison, the charity’s chief executive, is encouraging people to contact Citizens Advice if they are in need and emphasises that their core service is still available, as well as One Front Door.

The charity is continuing to work with the council to map out their plans to support people when lockdown is lifted.

MrMorrison said: “We’re very grateful for the continued support to deliver our service.

“The council has agreed One Front Door will be available till at least the end of July.”

Citizens Advice have also created a supermarket list — available on the website — detailing opening times, when the dedicated slots are for specific groups of people, limits on purchases, and more key information.

And Wokingham borough council have compiled a list of meal delivery services, also available on the Citizens Advice website.

Anyone who needs support should contact Citizens Advice on 0300 330 1189 (entering 0118 978 7258 if prompted) Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm. Or visit citizensadvicewokingham.org.u k/coronavirus/ and complete the online form.

The Wokingham Volunteer Centre is helping vulnerable people get their prescriptions from pharmacies. With approximately 55 volunteers across the borough, the organisation is working hard to ensure clients receive their medication as quickly as possible.

Staff report the centre is receiving around 15 requests a day and have delivered more than 700 prescriptions since they started.

Volunteers are currently doing between one and three drives a week and are able to respond to demand efficiently.

In addition to delivering prescriptions, the volunteer centre is discussing plans to reintroduce other ways of supporting shielded individuals.

Helena Badger, volunteer development coordinator at The Wokingham Volunteer Centre said: “Our gardening service is starting back next week, we have safeguards in place and everything will be with social distancing.

“We’re also in discussions about starting up our transport scheme again.”

The centre is working together with Wokingham