Shifnal church-goers launch successful lockdown community helpline
An idea by a young mother to reach out to vulnerable and isolated residents in lockdown has mushroomed into a community partnership.
Shifnal Help has so far answered more than 1,000 phone calls for practical support.
The service was the brainchild of church-goers who used a social media message to offer delivery services.
It was launched the week before lockdown after the town's St Andrew’s Church, in Church Street, set up a community partnership to launch an emergency phone line for local people who were self-isolating.
After two months in operation the helpline is open six days a week offering support, medication collection and delivery, shopping and other tasks. It has also seen a public house becoming a food donation point.
Shifnal vicar the Rev Preb Chris Thorpe explains: “It all started with one young mum from church called Elizabeth, who posted an offer to help people with shopping.
“We printed and delivered 5,000 leaflets to every home in the parish and began to recruit volunteers. Eighty people came forward and offered to help. Catherine Rogers, our Outreach Enabler, helped to set up a GDPR compliant data base, so that people could register for help securely. She trained a team of people to receive calls and another team to allocate jobs.
“One key partner was a local MHA (Methodist Homes Association) Live at Home Scheme who prepared volunteers to help those stuck at home. We have also been helped by Shifnal Town Council with advice and help with funding.
“When people have been unable to pay for food we have supplied food parcels and purchased particular things needed.
"A local pub, The White Hart, has become our base for food donations. It has been an amazing privilege to work with such a dedicated and highly motivated team and to see that we could make a real difference.”
The scheme is based at St Andrew’s church office with the support of the area's Methodist and Roman Catholic churches and organisations including a school’s parent and teachers group, the Co-operative store, Shifnal Matters and the Royal British Legion.
To mark the 1,000th phone call Shifnal Help has now launched an online appeal via https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Shifnal-Help to ensure that the service can continue to support those in need at home.
The helpline telephone 01952 462271.
Volunteers include Rachel Powell, of Live At Home, her daughter Steph and Sue Lawrence, of the Co-op.
