Beeston, Haughton, Peckforton & Spurstow Community – Support during the Covid-19 epidemic

Be a good neighbour

This scheme is now running!

This group has been established by Beeston, Haughton, Peckforton & Spurstow Parish Councils and is supported by other residents and groups.

Purpose

  • To support Beeston, Haughton, Peckforton & Spurstow residents during the Covid-19 epidemic where individuals or families are self-isolated and need help with deliveries of food, goods and medications.
  • To support people who, through self-isolation, are alone and out of contact with family and friends.
  • To help local businesses support their customers and secure their long term future within our community.
  • If travel is restricted then we want distant friends and relatives to know that their loved ones are being supported and that they don’t need to worry about not being able to see them.

Government advice

During this period we will follow UK Government advice and operate under the guidance they give us. This may affect our services and the contact we can have with people, we can’t predict the future so please bear with us as circumstances change.

We won’t repeat their advice, particularly on health, but you can check the latest news here.

Our service

Beeston, Haughton, Peckforton & Spurstow Community offer a daily service delivering food, household goods and checking up on residents on a regular basis. Please note we cannot offer advice on health or what medications you should be taking. For those with internet access they can

  • Use the Registration form here or if you have already registered you can shop here.
  • Email spurstowcommunity@gmail.com please include a phone number in case we have any queries.
  • For those without internet access they can call 078 790 23033. If there is no answer please leave a voicemail or send a text or WhatsApp message

Volunteers

These services will be manned by a roster of volunteers, anyone wishing to volunteer please

How it works

  • Please contact us by using the online form phone us on 078 790 23033 or Email spurstowcommunity@gmail.com before 10.00am each day, don’t forget you can leave a message the previous evening.
  • Make your request such as
    • Give us your shopping list
    • Post a letter
    • Pick up your pension or pay a bill at the Post Office Counter
    • NOTE: Prescriptions should now be delivered automatically by bunbury Surgery.
  • We will only be using:
    • Bunbury Co-Op
    • The Post Office within the Co-Op
    • Chestnut Meats
    • RF Burrows Butchers.
      • Burrows will take phone orders so you can call them directly and we can pick up for you. Call Burrows on 01829 260342.
  • Please tell us how you want to pay (see below).
  • We will visit you between 1.00pm and 4.00pm, we cannot give you an exact time but are assuming that due to self isolation people will be in.

Payment

We offer the following payment options, everything we buy will be receipted. We cannot offer credit so everything needs to be paid for as it is delivered.

  1. Cash. We will collect the cash when we drop off your goods or prescriptions.
  2. Contactless card. Please speak to your volunteer about this.
  3. Cheque. The Co-op do not take cheques but Burrows do, we can collect this when we drop off the goods.
  4. If you cannot use any of these methods please speak to us.

To avoid embarrassment please do not offer tips or gifts to the volunteers, if you wish to recognise the volunteers then please make a donation to the Church or other local charity.

Physical contact

We will follow the latest Government guidelines, currently we believe that we can ring the bell and hand over your shopping on the doorstep. We can hold a brief conversation on the doorstep but keep a minimum of 2m ( 6ft) away (known as social distancing).

We cannot allow our volunteers in to your house so you will need to move the shopping inside. If you need support inside your home please contact us.

If you prefer us to ring the bell and leave the shopping on the doorstep then let us know when you order. You’ll need to leave payment in an envelope.

Safety and conduct

This is a voluntary service, we will do our best to meet your requests but if we can’t deliver exactly what you need please be patient.

We are sure we don’t have to remind people that we cannot tolerate any verbal abuse and we will refuse repeat deliveries to anyone who is verbally or physically abusive.

In the event that you need to make a complaint then please use the contact details above or speak to a Parish Councillor.

Future plans

Unfortunately we cannot offer take-away collection as under the latest guidance these are now closed.

We are working with neighbouring Parishes to share resources as needed.

Please find below an extract from the Chair’s Report to the meeting of Spurstow Parish Council held on 17th March 2021.

Date:  April 2021   Spurstow Community Support    
Community Support Scheme to come to an end in June 2021

“The Spurstow Support line has been very quiet and I wonder if we should decide to disband this, say June 21st?  We could then publish that we are disbanding it in plenty of time and contact the other parishes so they can inform their residents.”

Accordingly, it was resolved to disband the Support Line in June, unless there is a substantial change in circumstances. “

On behalf of the local organisations that have helped to provide this service, may we thank all those kind and generous parishioners who have built strong links and selflessly given help to the members of our small communities who have called on the service, and are very pleased to see that relationships built up in these difficult times are continuing as an indication of the strength of our community spirit.

Having consulted with the local organisations that have joined with Spurstow Parish Council in this, it is expected that the service will be withdrawn on 18th June 2021, as the Council hope that it will by then no longer be needed.

The Council will, of course, continue this service if there is a substantial change in circumstances, and will continue to monitor the situation.