A new online platform – which aims to make both becoming a volunteer and requesting help in Ruddington a simple, safe and effective process – is being launched this weekend.
Although Help My Street is a national, not-for-profit Community Interest Company, the team who mobilised volunteers in our village to help our vulnerable residents during the COVID-19 ‘lockdown’ has worked alongside Ruddington Parish Council to develop a dedicated Ruddington homepage – the first village in Nottinghamshire to have one. This will allow people from our community to register to help others in need within Ruddington – and also further afield, if they wish.
Sue Matthews of Ruddington Village Centre Partnership (RVCP) explains: “Having seen the level of enthusiasm from residents in the village to help people during the Coronavirus situation, the Ruddington Mutual Aid Group wanted to build on this for a longer term volunteering resource for the village to take us through the remainder of the current situation and beyond. ‘Help My Street’ provided an ideal platform for this.”
Volunteers can sign up via their web portal, have their ID verified and specify the tasks and locations they are able to offer help with. Individuals, or someone on their behalf, will be able to log in and request assistance. Alternatively they can telephone the Parish Office to ask for help, and the outline of the requests received are then made available to all volunteers. When one accepts the task they get full details and can then arrange the assistance required.
Sue continues: “With the support from the Parish Council we have developed a bespoke Ruddington site that we hope will give villagers the support they need at any time. Residents will able to request help for tasks from shopping, prescriptions, telephone support and more. It will also provide an opportunity for over 250 volunteers to continue to help out in the village. We were overwhelmed by the amazing response from so many volunteers and thank them all for their contributions – and would hope that as many as possible will want to carry on offering their help by registering with Help My Street.”
Once the COVID-19 pandemic is finally over, it is hoped this dedicated webpage will provide a longer term facility for the community to request and offer help – such as when additional helpers are required at a local community event, or a community litter pick is being arranged, or if you are taken ill and can’t get out to shop for essentials.
This new page is already “live” at www.helpmystreet.org/Ruddington but will be officially launched at the Ruddington Village Market this Saturday 3rd October – when you’re invited to visit the RVCP tent to find out more.
{Top website photo courtesy of Peter McConnochie}
