Now that things are slowly starting to get back to some kind of normality, it seems a good time to reflect on the positives of the last few months, and in particular the wonderful work done by our ‘Street Champions’.
The Parish Council have in place an Emergency Plan but could not forsee the effect that the COVID-19 Pandemic would have – to make things even more complicated, more than half our Parish Councillors fell into the “Over 70” bracket, so were themselves compelled to self-isolate. It was necessary to identify who was vulnerable and who was self-isolating.
Quite early on, we learnt about a ‘Street Champions’ scheme and decided this would be the best way forward. The Parish has 11 streets and the idea was to have one or more volunteers on each street, or section of a street. 25 people volunteered to become Street Champions and we were not alone – the Fourways Stores asked for volunteers to deliver groceries to people who were self-isolating, and the Church was also busy making sure that none of its flock was forgotten.
The Street Champions have provided a wonderful service – they have been shopping, collecting prescriptions in conjunction with LINK, keeping an eye on elderly neighbours, delivering magazines, baking cakes for the isolated, running errands and walking dogs.
Most of them would not admit to doing anything ‘special’ but their overall efforts have made a huge differnce to the lives of the isolated.
Please click on A Shout Out for the Great Somerford and Startley Street Champions for more details about the fantastic work they have been doing.