WORCESTERSHIRE TRANSFORMED

As we approach more months of uncertainty and tighter COVID-19 guidelines, many of the vulnerable in our community will once again need the support of mutual aid groups and charitable organisations. Bewdley-In-Kind has been one of many Coronavirus support groups that have been there for those most in need. Before the Christmas break, we spoke to Bewdley-In-Kind co-founder Corrine Bailey about the group:

From a standing start back in March we recruited a group of over 60 local volunteers and we were actively helping people on daily basis. We delivered shopping, we collected prescriptions and we also handled more unusual requests.  Through the Facebook group I tried to educate people with the latest advice and how this would help to protect them and their families—also trying to counter some of the misinformation that was starting to spread.

In April we were helping many people—some had a regular support worker who would call them regularly and do the weekly shop and help with other ways.  Many calls were just for ad hoc support.  The chemists were finding it hard to cope with the increased number of deliveries and we also did a regular run with shopping from the Co-Op and their home deliveries,  so we had volunteers who would help pick up prescriptions and also collect shopping to deliver.

There was a lot of support within the Town and business helped—e.g., providing leaflets and hand sanitiser, etc. We also had a volunteer build a website for us.

The calls have slowed at the moment but we are in a very dubious situation given the rise in cases and I would expect that we will be in a much harder lockdown following Christmas and so it is very likely that requirements will increase again.

Corrine has also set up the Bewdley COVID 19 Support Group Facebook Group which you can join to see what support is needed in the community. The group also have a GoFundMe Page.

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