​Bury Community Hubs extend support to more people

People unable to access food and medicines because they have been asked by NHS Track and Trace to self-isolate are being offered help by Bury’s Community Hubs.

With the NHS Track and Trace system now live, those who have come into contact with someone with coronavirus will be asked not to leave their home at all for 14 days.

Volunteers from one of Bury’s five Community Hubs are ready to step in and deliver parcels of food or medicine to anyone who cannot get help from friends, family or neighbours, or access online deliveries.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, more than 800 volunteers and 90 staff at the Hubs have between them have helped more than 2,000 households in Bury with shopping or medicine.

The renewed offer of help from the Hubs also applies also to people who are self-isolating for 14 days after returning from abroad.

The volunteers have also been helping combat loneliness by making regular phone calls to people who want them.

Councillor David Jones, cabinet member for communities and emergency planning, said: “Our volunteers have been doing a fantastic job during the crisis to get essential food and medicines to people who are shielding and wouldn’t be able to get them in any other way.

“Now there are new groups of people who we know may need our help too, particularly those who have been asked by the NHS to self-isolate if they are identified as having come into contact with someone who has Covid-19.

“I know it’s a tough ask for anyone to self-isolate if they may have been exposed to the virus, but for people who don’t have the support of nearby friends or family it could prove difficult to get shopping or medication.

“So I’m very pleased our volunteers and community hubs will be able to step in, support people who are self-isolating, and help ensure we can break the chain of transmission.”

To request help from Bury Community Hubs, call 0161 253 5353 (lines open seven days a week, 9am-5pm)

ENDS

Press release issued: 19 June 2020.