I bring some excellent news that our organisation has been awarded the Covid-19 NHS Fund, through the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation. This fund has enabled us to be able to support our most vulnerable families at this present time. We have been able to offer further support outside our normal working remit. Since receiving the grant we have extended our working hours to cover evenings and weekends, in the process of recruiting further volunteers to help with our new befriending scheme and are in the process of purchasing a laptop to support our team with zoom meetings and calls etc.
To date we have supported 5 vulnerable families, whom have very complex needs and have been self isolating due to receiving a government letter. This has involved staff undertaking prescription collections, collecting food bank parcels and supporting them over the phone or zoom.
A family we have supported has said the following to us: “Hello the young Carers team, I just have a few things I would like to say, and all credit and recognition to you all… you have been so helpful and supportive to not just the young carers, but the siblings and their parents too. Some people have no idea what you all do in the background getting the young Carers to be able to meet etc the help they need and what this entails the funding the referrals so much more, if it was not for you guys my son would not have the help and support he needs and myself either, my (son) and I would like to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts to you all and even more so for all you have done and continue to do since the lock down I don’t mind admitting my mental health could have escalated to the extreme and it’s you guys who have supported and kept me well Thank you ?? so so much x “
This really proves that this fund has helped us de escalate the need for further support from the NHS. I am hopeful as we go through the next few weeks we will receive even more feedback and will be able to report that we have supported 100+ young carers, siblings and their parents as individuals. With the recruitment and training of further volunteers we will be in a position to prevent the influx of new patients had we not of intervened utilising this fund.
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Befriender for our orgainisation please complete the volunteer application form by clicking on the link below:
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Ed Ives-Wara
Chief Executive
