Derbyshire County Council’s Community Response Unit is now ready to take requests for assistance from members of the community who don’t have friends or family able to help them.

Help is available for people across the county if they are:

Self-isolating because either themselves or a member of the household is at risk.

• Struggling to meet basic needs because of financial, social or health restrictions
• Pregnant
• Have underlying health conditions
• Aged 70 or over
   

Volunteers from over 200 different organisations will be able to help with shopping, fetching prescriptions or offering a befriending service.

Derbyshire County Council Leader, Councillor Barry Lewis said: “Our Community Response Unit is now ready to start passing on requests from those who need help to the army of volunteers across the county.

“So far we’ve registered over 200 local groups with the scheme, and they will be using the volunteers they already have, and looking for more people to help out.

“We’re supporting this vital task with £1m that we’ve agreed to make available to support our vulnerable residents, families in need and to help businesses.”

Volunteers could asked to be help with food shopping and delivery, checking up on people who are isolated with a phone call or online help to prevent loneliness and check whether there is anything they need, or collecting and delivering prescriptions

Residents needing help should visit the council’s website – derbyshire.gov.uk/gethelp, or phone 01629 535091. At this stage the phone line will only be available Monday to Friday 9am till 5pm, and on Saturdays 9am till 1pm.

Organisations are still looking to recruit more volunteers. Anyone who wants to help and is aged 18 to 70 and is fit and well should also visit the council website to register their interest – this is at derbyshire.gov.uk/givehelp.

Some organisations are looking for volunteers to offer a befriending telephone service, so anyone who wants to help but can’t leave their house could offer this kind of assistance.