Castle Point Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS)

CAVS aiming to Coordinate the support required in Castle Point.  If you are self Isolating or have a long term health condition, lonely and Isolated, house bound, in need of picking up shopping or in need of a friendly phone call then please contact CAVS Ways to Wellness team who will be happy to help.
On 01268 214000 or email: [email protected]

CAVS are open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.
Out of these hours please either leave a message or email: [email protected]

 

Essex Coronavirus Action

Essex Coronavirus Action is a collaboration between Essex County Council, The Essex Public Health Team, and local Facebook group owners to provide three main services during the Covid-19 outbreak. 

The Essex Coronavirus Action Team are running a group for members of the public in Essex to connect and support each other throughout the outbreak called Essex Coronavirus Action Support at https://facebook.com/groups/essexcoronavirusactionsupport/

Advice to help PREVENT coming into contact with Coronavirus and passing it on to other people, including those who are vulnerable.

Content to INFORM people about hoaxes, myths and fake news circulating social media about Coronavirus.

A service to ASSIST vulnerable members of your local community who may need help due to self-isolation or other factors by putting them and their carers / families in touch with a local Facebook group who are organising volunteering.

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One of the easiest ways to reach out to people in the community who may need help while self-isolating is to put a note through their door with your contact details on so they can get in touch.  This printable template (four on a sheet of A4) includes our campaign’s social media links and also a direct telephone number / email for Essex Adult Social Care should they require further assistance. GET YOUR PRINTABLE SHEET AT http://j.mp/essexhelp 

 

Your NHS needs YOU – Join the NHS Volunteer Responders

NHS Volunteer Responders is a new group that will carry out simple, non-medical tasks to support people in England who have been asked to shield themselves from coronavirus because of underlying health conditions. They will be used by healthcare professionals to make sure people who are highly vulnerable to coronavirus (COVID-19) are able to stay safe and well at home.

Who can join and what are the tasks?

The NHS and social care urgently need people to join the NHS Volunteer Responders to do simple but vital tasks including driving people to and from hospital, and delivering food and medication. Volunteers will also support the NHS to transport equipment and supplies, and make regular phone calls to check on people isolating at home.

Please note, to comply with the UK’s current ‘Stay at Home’ rules you can only volunteer to carry out those tasks which involve leaving your home if you fulfil ALL of the conditions below:

• You are well and have no symptoms like a cough or high temperature and neither does anybody in your household
• You are under 70
• You are not pregnant
• You do not have any long-term health conditions that make you vulnerable to coronavirus

How do I join?

Just register here you will then be asked to select from a list of tasks. Once your registration and checks are complete you can download the GoodSAM Responders app. Local volunteer tasks will be pushed to your phone with an alert when you switch the app to ‘on duty’.

Why has NHS Volunteer Responders been set up?

It is vital that health and social care teams can easily match people who need help to self-isolate with ID-checked volunteers in a managed, England-wide system. This service aims to support people who have specific health conditions which put them at high risk from coronavirus. It will be used by doctors, nurses and others where there is no alternative local support for their patients, and will help to keep hospital beds available to those who need them most.

Is this different from helping out my neighbours and local charities?

NHS Volunteer Responders is not intended to replace any local provision. It will provide a service where informal support is not available or where health and social care professionals do not have a way to refer people into those systems. It is being delivered by Royal Voluntary Service one of the country’s largest and long-standing volunteering charities.

I am clinically trained – how can I volunteer to help the NHS?

The NHS Volunteer Responders will not undertake clinical tasks. If you are clinically trained please visit: www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/returning-clinicians/

Alternatively contact your local hospital trust.

 

Other ways to help

• Please check on your friends, family and neighbours- 

  Simply reaching out to those most severely affected by coronavirus can be a big help in such a turbulent time. For people older than 60 years and those with chronic illness or weakened immune systems, the virus can cause very severe issues.

  These people may be stuck in their homes and need food deliveries, or simply looking for some emotional support.

• Donate blood- 

  If you are fit and healthy then do consider giving blood. If you have already scheduled an appointment to donate then do keep it if you can!

  Coronavirus may mean some regular donors may not be able to make their appointments. Giving blood and doing our bit to make sure the NHS is well supplied with blood donations for urgent operations is one way people can actively support their community at this time.

  You can check your eligibility via the link in the post below, or sign up to give blood and book an appointment via www.blood.co.uk

•  Volunteer-

  The British Red Cross is helping with the coronavirus emergency across the UK. Their staff and volunteers are always on standby to help and the coronavirus, also called Covid-19, is no exception.

  You can also donate to help them help people affected or join them as a volunteer. 

  https://www.redcross.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/uk-emergency-response/coronavirus