It was around a month ago, before the Government lockdown began, that people in Ruddington began to realise the sort of stringent measures which would be needed to slow the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus in order to protect especially those in our village most at risk.
As previously reported, Rushcliffe Borough Councillor Jen Walker took swift action after the March Councillors’ Surgery and – joined by members of Ruddington Village Centre Partnership, St Peter’s Church, Ruddington Mums and Alex Preston from The Bottle Top – within days set up a volunteer group and launched the Ruddington COVID-19 UK Mutual Aid Facebook group. This was for the people of Ruddington to ask for support if they were ill, needed to self-isolate or just to make contact with others – as well as a place for other villagers to offer help to those in need.
Councillor Walker says: “The amazing Sue Matthews, along with the wonderful Mark Pinks, have organised the entire village into zones, each with a key volunteer and a team so if people begin to get ill there is a network of volunteers to call on. Sue continues to ‘man’ the phone and emails from 10-4pm everyday. We are still getting people coming forward to volunteer and it has now surpassed the 300 mark.”
Sue co-ordinated the initial hand delivery of 3,000 specially printed leaflets to every Ruddington home which explain the local help available for villagers who were already self-isolating and who to contact. She said: “I have been overwhelmed by number of people who have volunteered to help in Ruddington. It’s the best community – working together!”
“We are now trying to make sure everyone is being kept informed of the latest news in our village and ways that they can access food” adds Councillor Walker. “We would like to remind people that this group has been set-up for those who do not have any other means for getting what they need. The incredible Nikki Roe, and a number of volunteers, are working alongside the staff at Evans Pharmacy making sure everyone in the village has their prescription.”
Nikki confirms: “In the last few days, over 60 prescriptions have been delivered to people who are self-isolating or who are in a high risk group. The referrals come in to the COVID-19 Ruddington Mutual Aid Group or from the Parish Council. A volunteer then rings the person to arrange to pick up the prescriptions from the pharmacy and deliver them to the door.”
Nikki adds: “People have been very appreciative, and our volunteers have been working really hard. We deliver 6-8 prescriptions a day now and numbers are going up all the time. Our aim is to provide a service for people who can’t get their prescriptions in another way. The group also supports people with shopping, with befriending and with information about other service for people to access.”
A jpeg of this leaflet is available to download >>HERE<<.
You can find the Ruddington COVID-19 UK Mutual Aid Facebook Group >>HERE<< or contact them via RUDDCOVID19@GMAIL.COM or by ‘phoning 07954 073 115.
{TOP PHOTO: Volunteer Laura Brown heads off to deliver one of the prescriptions}
