Dear Partners and Friends of the Romney Marsh Community Support Hub

It has been some time since I have been in touch, but wanted to give you all an update on how things have been progressing.

Firstly to say as we celebrate volunteers week, we certainly could not have achieved all we have without 127 active volunteers, who have stepped up and come forward to be part of this incredible community response. Giving up their time, energy and skills to support the Hub has been invaluable. They have been the backbone of this Covid-19 response, answering calls 7 days a week, delivering meals to people, picking up and delivering prescriptions as well as hot meal deliveries. We will be thanking them this week and celebrating together what we have achieved so far (at a social distance of course!).

Since we started the Hub we have been supporting over 1300 different people. Here is a snap shot of some of the support carried out.

Incoming calls taken

2118

Outgoing calls including GP welfare checks

2556

Hot meals delivered

3634

Prescription requests and deliveries

821

Different people contacted by befriending service

187

Hearing Aid assistance

76

Callers have reflected back to us that it is reassuring that there is somewhere to contact when they have been in difficulty. We have continued with our Information and Advice service and have signposted people to a plethora of community services.

We have found ways to keep in touch and spread some cheer during this very difficult period. This has involved sending out sunflower pots and seeds, activity packs to keep minds active, celebrating VE day by distributing tea boxes, including capturing people’s memories of that very day. We also had a surprise visit from Her Majesty (see link) https://www.facebook.com/RomneyMarshSupportHub/posts/2494564134188891

We have sent out a whole lot of Easter Eggs in May, courtesy of Nestle. Well during this pandemic, you can’t get enough chocolate!

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Folkestone and Hythe District Council for getting behind the Hub, as well as our fellow Hubs at Folkestone and Hythe. Also thanks to CARM and Action with Rural Communities in Kent for working with the Hub to provide befriending support and distributing the VE day tea boxes respectively. The good to come out of this time is a strengthening of partnerships and collaboration which can only help our communities going forward.

As the lockdown eases, inevitably services will shift and change. I will keep you posted on new developments in the future.