Bucks residents asked to volunteer to support vulnerable as Covid cases rise
Community Impact Bucks are looking for people to register to help locals in the county.
Buckinghamshire residents are being asked to support vulnerable locals.
When the coronavirus pandemic began, residents across Buckinghamshire volunteered to help out vulnerable members of their community.
Community Impact Bucks, along with Buckinghamshire Council, set up an online portal where people can register their strengths and availabilities.
Nearly 2,000 people signed up in the first wave to help out, but now CIB are hoping people will sign up again as coronavirus cases rise.
Katie Higginson is Chief Executive of Community Impact Bucks:
“It has been amazing to see so many people offer their time and skills to help others during the pandemic, and it was great to see this incredible voluntary effort recognised in the Queens’s Birthday Honours where nearly three quarters of recipients were awarded for their work in the their community, including several Bucks residents.
“Building on this, we now need more volunteers to be available to fill key roles – from adhoc, one-off tasks such as PPE delivery to longer term positions like regular supermarket collections, mentoring young people and providing ongoing support for vulnerable people. If you are 18 or over, and have some time or specific skills to offer, we would love to hear from you."
Anyone looking to volunteer doesn't need to be available immediately though. As Katie explains there are people who signed up 6 months ago only being assigned to help now.
This allows volunteers and those who need support to work around each other, but also around the necessity.
A rise in coronavirus cases limits what people who are in the vulnerable category particularly are able to do, for example go to the shops for food and other essentials.
Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Buckinghamshire Council, said:
“We have a strong tradition of volunteering in Buckinghamshire and we know people find it a very rewarding experience. People who were able to give their time to support vulnerable residents during the lockdown earlier in the year found new skills and ways to fill their days in very fulfilling ways.
"We are seeing a steep increase in the rates of coronavirus currently and want to be prepared if we need to again step up to support our most vulnerable residents. Please do consider whether you could give any of your time.”
To find out more about the Volunteer Matching Service, people can visit the information page and can easily register as a volunteer via the registration form.