CORONAVIRUS: Hundreds of vulnerable residents receive essential deliveries

More than 300 essential deliveries have been made to the district’s most vulnerable residents as public, community and voluntary services in Warwickshire work around the clock to support them.

Such deliveries have been going to those with serious underlying medical conditions, following advice from the government for these residents to shield themselves from coronavirus by isolating for 12 weeks.

Inevitably with the swiftness that the operation has been set up and different data being delivered daily from various organisations there will be residents that haven’t been accounted for.

One such resident was in Fenny Compton, who wrote to a national newspaper asking for help with an online supermarket delivery.

However having been alerted to this and working with the local ward member, Cllr Nigel Rock, the District Council was able to make a food parcel delivery to the resident.

Cllr Nigel Rock, district councillor for Napton and Fenny Compton said: “I am pleased to say that Stratford District Council responded very quickly. This is not the first case that I've encountered about the problems the supermarkets are having in finding vulnerable people on the government list.

“I have had almost the exact same situation elsewhere in my ward in another village. We do hear of other examples of statements from the top of government which are not reflected in reality on the ground.

“Whilst we can all appreciate that the pressure means there is much to do in a short space of time, it's necessary that the government recognise that saying something is being done isn't the same as actually getting it done.

“The district council here is working well with councillors of all parties working together. Volunteer community groups are playing a valuable linking role across the District as was the case here.”

Robert Weeks, heading up Stratford’s Community Hub on behalf of the District Council said: “There will inevitably be some people who don’t get what they need when they are expecting it; but I want to reassure people we are here to help. There are also many community groups that have been established at this time across the district at a local level, who are here to help such individuals. It’s not a perfect system and we are working with what we have and hopefully making a difference to those that need it.”

Anyone identified as extremely clinically vulnerable without social support can call the Warwickshire hotline on 0800 4081447.

For more information about local community support groups please visit: https://www.stratford.gov.uk/health-care/covid-19-community-led-support-groups.cfm