The Ruddington COVID-19 Community Response Team – which was formed last month primarily to help older and more vulnerable villagers who were self-isolating due to the Coronavirus outbreak – has leapt into action again!
This time it’s to assist our two schools in enabling further home schooling for village children, which is restarting this week. Under normal circumstances, of course, ‘homework’ would not necessarily be that popular. However, it’s being reported that the current ‘lockdown’ means many local youngsters have been eagerly awaiting these doorstep deliveries, to give them ‘something to do’!
First of all, hundreds of education packs from St Peter’s Junior School, prepared by teachers over the Easter holiday, were sorted into zones by Nikki Roe and Sue Matthews on Friday – then delivered by the volunteers to households all around the village during the weekend. These contain lessons on maths, writing and also more creative activities which the pupils can complete whilst ‘staying safe’ at home during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Head teacher, Michael Bradley, tells us: “I have been overwhelmed by the community spirit shown by the residents of Ruddington who ensured that 380 of our home learning packs were hand delivered to our families across Ruddington and beyond. It just shows that when people come together, amazing things can happen.”
Similar packs then began to be delivered today for the younger pupils of James Peacock Infant and Nursery School. Head Teacher, Richard Waldron, says: “I would just like to thank all the volunteers for supporting the children and parents with the home learning packs. I think around 100 will be delivered across the village in the next few days and parents have been overjoyed with gratitude for this tremendous effort. It is is much appreciated by myself and my staff as well.”
Co-ordinator Sue Matthews adds: “It was great to be asked to help the schools, and our volunteers were very enthusiastic and efficient in delivering the packs. Across the village we continue to help people with shopping, prescription collection, dog walking and befriending phone calls. The level of support from the volunteers and the immense gratitude expressed by those we are helping is really heart warming and it’s great to see how the village is pulling together!”
The top photo (taken by Sue) is of Rachel Burnett, one of the Community Response Team’s key zone volunteers (who also works at JPS), delivering at a suitable ‘social distance’ some of the packs to be collected by other zones.
The group’s sterling work even made the regional news on BBC East Midlands Today on Sunday… where Sue had a starring role!
