Coronavirus help service is ‘ready to help’ if second wave hits

Alison Webb, the district councillor behind Dereham Cares. Picture: Alison Webb (Image: Archant)

Dereham Cares, which was set up by district councillor Alison Webb, delivered prescriptions, food parcels and made phone calls to vulnerable people in the community throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Together with fellow councillor Philip Duigan and Hilary Bushel, Dereham Cares co-ordinated volunteers to deliver a basic food parcel to the door step or just telephone you to provide information and company by phone.

Since the pandemic volunteers have gone back to work and the need for food parcels and prescription deliveries has reduced.

Mrs Webb said: “As the lockdown and shielding has finished and many of our lovely volunteers have returned to work, the service that Dereham Cares provided will not be required at this stage.

“The latest Covid figures are very encouraging and our rate remains below the England average, however we are still seeing some cases locally and we must follow the national guidance and not become complacent.”

Throughout the coronavirus crisis, the army of more than 100 volunteers delivered 500 prescriptions and hundreds of food parcels.The scheme aimed to support the community hubs, created by the government, by arranging deliveries of groceries and medicines to those in need.

But Mrs Webb is keen to reassure residents that if a second lockdown were to take affect, the service would help people in Dereham and Toftwood again.

She said: “Hopefully there will not be a second lockdown, but if there is I want to reassure you that Dereham Cares will be ready to help all our Dereham/Toftwood residents in the same way as we did before.

“A massive thanks to all involved who helped with Dereham Cares.”

Dereham Cares was not part of the government’s UK-wide NHS scheme to help 1.5m extremely vulnerable people with specific cancers, severe respiratory conditions and people who have received organ transplants.