Volunteers hailed for rapid response

Volunteers in Bromyard have been hailed for their rapid response in getting food and medicine to those who need it.

Deputy mayor Suzette Brunsdon has been coordinating the effort in the market town from the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

She says they have around 40 people who are helping, with some making deliveries as far afield as Stoke Bliss in Worcestershire.

“Whichever call we get. We go wherever somebody needs us, within reason,” she said.

“I’ve got some lovely volunteers who are willing to travel.

“We’ve got some people who’ve gone out to Hatfield way. We’ve also been to Stoke Bliss and Whitbourne.”

Coun Brunsdon says her may concern is trying to reach people in need they don’t know about.

She says there are people who have been deemed to be in the vulnerable who are unaware that volunteers can do their shopping and deliver medication to them.

“It would be nice to try and reach the people who don’t know about the service,” she said.

“I’m so worried about the ones we haven’t reached.”

“We’ve set up a team that deals with the medication which Gill Tait is heading up for me.

“We get spreadsheet every day of everybody that needs help and everyone who has offered to help.”

She says they’ve set up an order system with the Co-op to ensure vulnerable people get what they order.

“We email the orders in the evening so the Co-op pack it up in the morning when the deliveries come. That is the best opportunity to get everything they need.

“When it’s ready they send me a text saying how much the shopping costs.

“We ring the volunteer to collect the shopping and then they pick up the payment which is left in an envelope for them. The shopping is dropped off at a safe distance.

“On a busy day we get around six orders. It varies between six to four orders a day.”

Coun Brunsdon also said there is help for those who cannot afford food at the foodbank.

“We’ve had some lovely donations. For instance, Brockhampton Estate gave us their Easter eggs from the hunt they couldn’t have.

“Subway when they closed down gave us the contents of their freezer.”

Anyone who needs help with their shopping or medications being delivered should call the county’s Talk Community COVID-19 response team on 01432 260027 or email talkcommunitycovidresponse@herefordshire.gov.uk