​New Community Hubs to co-ordinate help to most vulnerable during Covid-19

Five Community Hubs are being set up across Bury to target help and support to the most vulnerable and needy during the Covid-19 crisis.

These ‘virtual’ teams will bring together the council, emergency services, housing, business and voluntary groups acting on one united front.

Their mission is to co-ordinate food, medicines, social contact and support for people without help from following priority groups:

* Shielded people

* Those aged 70+ with health conditions

* Service users

* Those who are socially/economically vulnerable

The hubs will cover five areas: Bury North, Bury South, Bury West, Prestwich and Whitefield. They will proactively identify and reach out to vulnerable people directly using available data – but also want to hear from people directly.

A hotline has been set up for people to contact the hubs: 0161 253 5353.

The hubs will also co-ordinate and support the organised and informal community, charitable and faith groups providing support, and meet the Government’s requirements for Community Hubs infrastructure for local supplies and distribution, when available.

Councillor David Jones, leader of Bury Council, said: “National crises always bring out the best in people. We can already see large numbers of people volunteering to do whatever they can to keep their communities safe, and are reminded of just how many charitable and voluntary groups that provide help in Bury all year round.

“Today, we’re formally launching our new Community Hubs to focus and co-ordinate all this herculean effort. These will be based at five locations across the borough, bringing together health and social care staff with people from the community.

“We will be actively seeking out those in our borough who we think need help the most, such as those who have been notified they are at higher risk because of their age or medical history, to get the most appropriate support to them.”

Cllr Jones added: “Food and medical supplies are vital, but so is simply being in contact, which can do so much for a person’s mental wellbeing, especially those who may already suffer from loneliness or depression. We all need to be there for them now.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 24 March 2020.