|
Welcome to the latest edition of the Peterborough Hub’s newsletter. As you may be aware it is Volunteers' Week and you can see from the PCVS article below that they are asking for volunteer nominations for inclusion in their celebration posts.
I would like to say a massive thank you to all those volunteers – without you I think we would have struggled to meet the demand and I know local people who are receiving support, really appreciate what you are doing for them – thank you very much.
Most of our schools and early years settings in Peterborough were open on Monday. Thank you to all those staff who have worked hard to make our schools and early years settings safe places to be.
I was recently interviewed on Peterborough Community Radio (PCR FM) about the work of the hub. Please have a listen. I particularly would like to draw your attention to the part where I talk about the hub being open to anyone for support. People may not consider themselves to be vulnerable, however I want everyone to know that whatever your concern, needs or challenges, we are able to help. Please contact the hub on 01733 747474 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Finally, I would like to remind everyone to continue to follow the social distancing guidelines. As we ease out of lockdown, social distancing becomes even more important to prevent a second wave. We do not want to see preventable deaths within our community and I encourage you to do the right thing.
Watch my recent vlog here.
|
 A big thanks to Peterborough's army of volunteers
This Volunteers’ Week, appreciation and thanks are being paid to the volunteers across Peterborough giving up their time to support others during the COVID-19 crisis.
Volunteers continuously play a vital role in our communities by aiding the work of the council and various organisations who support residents all year round. However, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of the work of volunteers even further.
Volunteers have stepped forward to support the Peterborough Coordination Hub, ensuring that services crucial to supporting residents can continue, such as the work of Peterborough Foodbank.
Through the Coordination Hub, volunteers are linked to an organisation and role based on their skills and experiences, with the hope this will encourage them to continue volunteering.
Roles are varied, with some volunteers providing emotional support for those struggling with the current experience of isolation, for example, seven people have been matched as telephone befrienders, working with the organisation Caring Together. Other roles include completing more physical acts in order to support communities during this time, such as volunteering with Peterborough Foodbank and Family Voice to aid in the packaging and delivery of food parcels.
Even now as restrictions begin to ease, the work of the volunteers remains vital. To begin re-opening our city in a manner that is safe for our communities, volunteers will be taking up marshalling and information support roles, ensuring that the crucial social distancing and safety measures are adhered to.
Of course, as these services and industries begin to recover, many volunteers will return to their place of work. However, Peterborough City Council will be working with PCVS Volunteer Coordination Forum to coordinate volunteering opportunities as the city moves through the COVID-19 recovery period.
Wendi Ogle-Welbourn, executive director for People and Communities, who is part of the team leading the work of the hub, said: “It is incredible to see the level of support in our city to help those that need extra help during this difficult time. The number of volunteers that have stepped forward to assist others, when they too are in a difficult time, is incredible.
“Volunteers are always such a large part of our community, but during this Volunteers’ Week we want to say an especially big thank you to everyone who has given up their time to help others throughout the pandemic. Without these volunteers, the much-needed support for the vulnerable and shielded could not have been carried out.
“From the staff at the Coordination Hub, the people you have been supporting every day, and the council - thank you.”
Show your appreciation and clap for volunteers
People are being asked to join Acting Police and Crime Commissioner, Ray Bisby, on Thursday 4 June at 8pm to ‘clap for volunteers’ in support of the invaluable contributions our local volunteers continue to make to support their neighbours during COVID-19.
Although in many places the ‘clap for carers’ came to an end last week, people are being encouraged to do it one last time in support of the country's volunteers.
We all know someone who has stepped up to support their community during COVID-19, so please join together in thanking them.
You can also share your thanks on social media using #ClapforVolunteers #CambridgeshireTogether #PeterboroughTogether.
PCVS Celebrating Volunteers’ Week
Volunteers’ Week sees many people taking part in volunteering for the first time due to the unprecedented times we find ourselves in.
With people finding time on their hands due to being furloughed they have turned to taking part in their communities more. Whether it’s social action, helping a neighbour with groceries, or more formal volunteering through the city council coordination hub or a local organisation, we are amazed by the selfless actions of people stepping up and doing their bit.
Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services (PCVS) is celebrating all volunteers throughout this week and, like member organisations and charities, hopes that more people can be encouraged to volunteer after the pandemic has subsided.
If you are interested in having a volunteer contact you, you can get in touch with PCVS and it will arrange for a volunteer 1-2-1, either in person when allowed, or via Zoom.
If you would like to nominate a volunteer for inclusion in PCVS's celebration posts there is still time, please use the linked form and send to sarah.woodbine@pcvs.co.uk
|
Care Zone helping those in need once again
 Care Zone is a recycling furniture project operating in Peterborough run by Kingsgate Community Church. Aiming to tackle poverty, Care Zone offers furniture, household goods and baby equipment free of charge to households in crisis who have been referred by professional agencies. As well as meeting needs in the local community, Care Zone benefits the environment by actively promoting recycling and upcycling of unwanted furniture items.
Following its temporary closure during lockdown, Care Zone is slowly re-opening to serve those in need in our city. However, it needs help to rebuild its furniture stock and is looking for good quality donations of unwanted or pre-loved furniture. The items it needs include bed frames, mattresses, sofas, dining table and chairs, chests of drawers, wardrobes, bedding, pots and pans and cutlery.
The charity is operating safely in accordance with social distancing and any items you wish to drop off can be unloaded outside the warehouse door, and once you have moved away the team will take the items into the warehouse.
Care Zone is open every Friday and Monday from 11am to 1pm to receive donations. The warehouse is located at Dodson House, Fengate, Peterborough, PE1 5XG.
Keep Active with Oaks - Judith says go for it!
Simple strength and balance exercises twice a week are proven to keep you stronger for longer and ready to enjoy the great things you like doing when life returns to normal. Peterborough City Council is encouraging people to keep active at home, so they’ll be able to keep doing the things they enjoy - for longer.
Judith Maughan, 70, is currently waiting for a knee replacement but has been doing the Keep Active with Oaks classes via Facebook.
Judith said: “I have a good laugh and I work hard. I used to go to keep-fit years ago and every class was the same, so it was boring, but with Lou every class is brilliant.
“I use a walking stick at the moment, and can only walk so far, so exercising at home is the perfect solution for me and Lou is fantastic. She manages to cheer me up with her new routines every day.
“If anyone is thinking about taking part, but hesitating, I say go for it. I wish I’d started doing this years ago. Go at your own pace. Listen to your body – and go for it!”
Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, Deputy Leader of Peterborough City Council and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Public Health, said: “Older adults should do some type of physical activity every day. Any activity is good for you and the more you do the better! From breaking up long periods of sitting by getting up every 20 minutes, to doing activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least two days a week.”
|
|
Have your say on health services
Healthwatch Peterborough – local champions for people who use health and social care services – wants to hear how changes to services during COVID-19 have affected you and your loved ones. Please take part in its survey and help our local NHS and social care system make sure everyone gets high quality and safe support.
Many health and social care services have had to adapt in order to continue supporting people whilst keeping them safe from COVID-19, and it is important to share your experiences so that any needed improvements can be made.
Healthwatch Peterborough has worked with local authorities and the NHS and used the feedback of local people to develop and launch a new online survey exploring experiences during the coronavirus crisis.
This survey aims to find out about people’s experiences of health, social care, and community support throughout the pandemic in order to help local authorities and the NHS understand how people have been affected.
The survey only takes online 10 minutes to complete and all respondents remain completely anonymous.
You can complete the survey online.
Now we’re talking
Now more than ever it is important that we keep talking.
If you have concerns about your mental health, or are experiencing anxiety, stress or depression, there are services that can help.
Find out more on this flyer.
Church during lockdown
Are you missing being able to attend your local church during lockdown? The government is advising that places of worship will not open before July. However, there are other options available to you.
In April, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, launched a free national phone line to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes while church buildings are closed.
'Daily Hope' offers music, prayers and reflections, as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.
The line is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044. Find out more here.
More locally, you can watch services from Kingsgate Community Church in Peterborough.
The services are live streamed each Sunday and also available on YouTube. Find out more here.
|
Life Money Peterborough
Thanks to a donation of £5,000 from Orton Longueville Parish Council, PCVS has worked with Life Money Peterborough to make a money advice service available to people living in the area, including parts of Orton Malborne and Orton Goldhay.
The service can be accessed by ringing 01733 314524 (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 9am to 3pm) or emailing lifemoney@lifecommunitytrust.uk or by ringing 07796 435447.
Cross Keys Homes’ repairs service resumes
After 10 weeks of a repairs service restricted to mainly emergency appointments, Cross Keys Homes' (CKH) repairs service has been fully reinstated this week.
Residents can now get in touch to report urgent and routine repairs at any time. Non-urgent repairs can be reported online through MyCKH and customers can login or register an account at www.crosskeyshomes.co.uk/myckh.
Emergency repairs are best reported over the phone to ensure they are dealt with as soon as possible. Residents can report emergency repairs 24/7 by calling 01733 385030.
To ensure the safety of residents and employees, CKH’s contractors will be adhering to all guidance from the government about how best to minimise the risk during home visits. You can find out more on the CKH website: www.crosskeyshomes.co.uk/repairs.
|
|
Stay savvy online
Police have shared advice to help keep people safe online. With more people taking to the web on an array of electronic devices to do their shopping, to work and keep in touch with loved ones during the current COVID-19 pandemic, sadly the chance of falling victim to online fraudsters is increasing.
The national Action Fraud and Cyber Crime reporting centre received more than 65,000 calls throughout January, February and March 2020.
|
Families First Food for Thought Project Update
Due to the coronavirus pandemic Family First has had to change the way it works and develop new projects to support children, young people and families.
With a grant from the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation it is facilitating its Food for Thought project. In partnership with Right Resolution CIC, Family First is delivering parcels to families and young people with the aim of helping to combat loneliness and isolation, provide basic food items, toiletries, toys, baby items, craft resources and to simply stay in touch.
The organisation has received positive feedback from recipients and everyone it has visited has appreciated the opportunity to have a chat, even if it is from the end of a garden path!
Family First is halfway through the project and so far has delivered 97 parcels. It would like to thank all the individuals and organisations that have donated goods to the project. These have been put to good use and anything surplus has been shared with partner organisations.
In addition, it has a grant from the People’s Health Trust which is being used to continue an ‘arm’s length’ youth work project in Welland.
Carers Emergency Fund (for carers aged 16+)
In the past month Caring Together has distributed emergency funding totalling nearly £3,000 to carers aged over 16 through the Carers Emergency Fund.
More funding has now been secured so cares aged over 16 can apply once again for small emergency grants. Demand is likely to significantly outstrip supply, so people are encouraged to make their applications as quickly as possible, including as much detail as possible.
The last round of applications helped to fund a wide variety of things such as:
-
A bike and helmet to enable a young adult carer to do supermarket trips and get a break from their caring role.
-
Vehicle running costs for a carer needing to do additional journeys to and from hospital.
-
A laptop/tablet for a parent carer who had been unable to work from home because her son with autism was needing it.
-
Replacement items including beds, fridge/freezers and cookers.
-
A tablet to enable a carer to stay in contact with family
-
Replacement batteries for a hearing aid for a shielding carer over the bank holiday when usual source was closed
|
|
|
|
|
|
