Our new normal…

Over the last few months we’ve been working hard to deliver services to older people.  A number of services that operated throughout lockdown have returned to something approaching ‘normal’ (social distancing and PPE not withstanding) and we want to thank the staff, volunteers and older people involved for embracing new rules and restrictions introduced to combat COVID19!

In other areas this has proved far more challenging.  We’re pleased to announce we are working through plans to reinstate volunteer visitors, specifically aimed at those most isolated and who struggle to use the telephone, in a COVID secure way and hope to trial this over the coming weeks!

Unfortunately, with the new rule of six, and the physical constraints of our venue, we are sad to say a return for clubs is still without a timescale.  We are committed to developing a ‘trial no error’ approach as the stakes remain so high.  We understand this is difficult for lots of our members who are telling us on the phone they would be happy to take on risks in a way a professional organisation cannot currently legally consider.

Shops continue to struggle across the country and our sector is feeling this pinch.  Again, balancing the need to be COVID secure with getting enough customers into the shop (and generating sufficient sales) after the initial reopening buzz, is proving a difficult nut to crack.

Finally we’re so happy to report that the volunteers who came to us during March and April are by and large still committed to the cause and have been consistently on hand to assist with emergencies and provide regular, meaningful to contact to the town’s loneliest and most vulnerable residents!