Our community rises to COVID challenge

Our community rises to COVID challenge

Council praises local people who have come together to support each other

Over the past year, we’ve worked with our partners and a range of community organisations to fund and coordinate the Borough’s response - and staff and Councillors have been impressed by countless examples of community members rising to the challenges presented by COVID. Examples are too numerous to list fully, but include:

• the increase in donations to the Borough’s three food banks (the Council has also provided grant funding of £84,000 to the food banks over the past year)

• local companies, college students and sewing groups producing vital personal protective equipment for NHS staff and key workers

• organisations like Pavilion on the Park providing Christmas dinners on wheels and gift packs to isolated residents

• volunteers and community groups coming forward to support vulnerable people by

delivering essentials or making calls to isolated residents

• the work of Borough-based charities, such as One Community, who have provided a wide range of support, including a shopping service for clinically vulnerable people and vaccination transport

• the many local businesses who have provided food and other help for residents

Council Leader, Cllr Keith House, said: “The past year has presented huge challenges for our communities and for the Council, and it has been inspiring to see so many local people going that extra mile to

help their neighbours and Borough residents who are struggling to cope. “The level of community spirit has been amazing.

“As a Council, our first priority has always been the health and wellbeing of our residents - and protecting Borough businesses from the worst impacts of successive lockdowns. I’m very proud of the efforts of the teams who have worked so hard to deliver our services, often in very difficult circumstances – and of our Borough communities who have rallied so brilliantly.

“We’ll continue to provide the essential services you need – and we hope that everyone will continue to follow the vital safety guidance that will protect us all until the vaccination programme is complete and we can emerge from this unprecedented crisis.”