‘It has been a massive team effort’

Community champions the length and breadth of North Yorkshire have been doing their bit to help others during the Coronavirus lockdown. During Volunteers Week, we’re celebrating the selfless acts of kindness that have made a huge difference to the lives of people in North Yorkshire, including some of the county’s most vulnerable residents since the outbreak of Covid-19. In a co-ordinated joint effort with district councils, the authority has been working with 23 community organisations to match those without family, friends or neighbours to support from the voluntary sector. As a result, more than 1,500 volunteers have been helping thousands of people every week with shopping, collecting prescriptions or just having someone to talk to as part of this network of community support organisations. There are also countless examples of neighbours looking out for each other and an army of volunteers who have formed groups where they live. Mick Hawes, pictured, was a teacher for ten years, working with children who had been excluded from mainstream school. He now runs his own business specialising in vehicle graphics and since the outbreak of Covid-19 has been involved in the Sherburn Coronavirus Aid Group. “I run a football group for adults and we have people of all ages playing. It helps getting people fit and active and looking after their health, but when this pandemic hit we obviously stopped playing. “The lads are used to paying subs every week, so I put it to them that we could put that money together and get some kind of hampers together for people in the area who might need help. “In a day we’d raised just over £1,000. Then we got asked if we would get involved with the Sherburn Coronavirus Aid Group so that it was a bit more coordinated. “I volunteered to start looking at how we could get some people together. I have quite a good connection with Sherburn White Rose football club, so between the two football groups which we were involved with we had quite a number of people who were willing to support us with deliveries and leaflet dropping and we managed to get just short of 90 volunteers. “We had a number of people who were willing to support us with vans doing deliveries and leaflet dropping and running errands. Also the befriending scheme, meals on wheels and other kinds of general support in the area as well. It’s been a massive team effort.” Mick wasn’t surprised that so many people wanted to help. “People are really keen to keep it going. I think we kind of get tied up with the negative stuff that goes on in the world, we forget that there are some wonderful folk and when the chips are down people are willing to roll up their sleeves.”