Group set up isolation support online service
SEVERAL Guernsey women have set up a group of volunteers to do the shopping and run errands for elderly and vulnerable people who are self isolating due to Covid-19 in the coming weeks and months.
While many are staying indoors to help ensure the containment of the virus, a number of islanders are offering help in a variety of ways, sticking together at a time when those who are most vulnerable need it most.
Heidi Billien set up the Facebook ‘Guernsey Isolation Support Group’, along with family members Pat Jenner and Hayley Arnold who started it off, and said it was about pulling together as a community.
‘With the uncertainly of what’s going to happen in our island over the next few weeks and months, we want to be able to offer support in any way we can,’ she said.
‘We hope to provide help where needed, a person to turn to, even if someone wants to talk or text. We’re offering the facility of collecting items for people that cannot leave their house for various reasons, basically to help people who are worse off than ourselves.’
The group, which took form in the last two weeks, has had hundreds of comments, over a thousand members and offers of help from every parish in the island and this is something that has been lauded by the group’s administrators, who thanked everyone for their ‘amazing community spirit’ that people should be proud of.
Mrs Billien added they have now been offered sponsorship to print and deliver leaflets in the island with the offer of support, including basic shopping for milk and bread, a friendly call, dog walking and posting letters.
‘The response has been overwhelming,’ she said.
‘So far we’ve helped collect and deliver prescriptions and also provided activities for isolated children.
‘We are working on offering help by parish and volunteers will be allocated where best suited.’
The group also advises on what other help is being offered locally, including the Duke of Richmond providing meals to elderly neighbours, and Manor Farm Foods delivering groceries, Shiloh Church offering support, and Iris and Dora providing activity packs for children.
The leaflets are being made and sponsored by Colour Monster and Richard Griffin at Muse.
To contact the group, visit www.facebook.com/groups/819768768525594/ or call Mrs Billien on 07781 126048.
