Good Neighbours
Sea Mills & Coombe Dingle
Community Hub Update #9
16 October 2020
Dear people,
If you fully completed the registration process for Can Do Bristol, then some time around 9 October, you should have been asked to complete a short form updating them with details of your current availability. It would be helpful to me to know if you received this message – and how you responded. Thanks!
Some of you are still being contacted directly by Can Do Bristol, which can get a bit confusing. In theory, the requests for support in this area should be channeled through the Community Hub so there can be some consistency and local learning. If you are asked directly, do help if you are able, but either way please let me know so we can follow-through as needed. If you want to understand the current system more clearly, do ask.
Talking about clarity, I am trying to work out how to describe the different things we are able to offer. Local Friends was set up to try and help isolated people who may be willing and able to engage with people and groups in their community, but the Covid-19 response means that we are spending a lot of time providing practical support and keeping in touch with people who think we are only offering a befriending service. And some of the volunteers signed up simply to help people cope with the pandemic, while others signed up because they are interested in both the practical support and in helping people move on.
So there is a parallel approach, with two types of service being offered, which inevitably overlap in many ways. I'm trying to add more content to the web site to make this a bit clearer. If you have a few minutes, do have a look at the web site and let me have your comments: is is clear? And, if not, what do you think needs to be added or changed? Some fresh eyes would be appreciated. Thanks.
To be honest, I am struggling to respond to all the messages and keep up with all the various points of contact with many different people. I could do with somme admin support, a lot of which would involve interacting with people in various ways. I have just been offered a bit of extra money to help fund this activity, possibly over the next six months. I don't know all the details yet, but if you might be interested in helping, please say.
As I said last time, I need to produce an annual report on what we have been doing. As well as the equalities information I asked about, I should have pointed you to the wellbeing and feedback forms - if you are able to talk your contacts through these questions and fill in the forms, that would help enormously. I can provide paper copies if that would be easier for you, just say. You can find the online forms here (please say it relates to Local Friends):
I can pass on a couple of offers.
Mary Milton (seamills100@gmail.com) is currently delivering a community podcast, based around local heritage. It’s available on a stand alone, easy to use digital player which she can deliver to homes in Sea Mills and Coombe Dingle. It’s also available online at www.seamills100.co.uk and from the major podcast providers but she is also looking to reach those who are digitally excluded too. So if you know anyone who might benefit from this get in touch and she can give you further details. It could be a bit of a morale boost if people have to shield again. Email is easiest, but if you need to ring, her number is 0117 909 3306. If you would like to take the player around when you are delivering other things, she would be happy to supply one (there are two available at the moment, but if it's popular she will look for funding for more). Mary is also experimenting with the idea of lending simple audio recorders to people who would like to participate so they can record themselves at home and be included in the podcast.
And a group called Belong are working with the University of Kent on a long-term research project to understand the impact of Covid-19 on social cohesion in the UK. The project is seeking to understand how working with the community is changing during Covid-19, and whether this work shapes peoples' feelings about their community. The findings will form a strong evidence base for building more connected communities in the future. They are sending out four surveys from June – November, and are inviting us to take part in this survey today by answering this online questionnaire.
They say:
We would love you (and other members of your team) to take part in this 30-minute survey and share your views! The University of Kent is giving the first 2000 people who complete the survey a £5 Amazon gift voucher, and free entry to a prize draw where you could also win one of five £100 Amazon gift vouchers. You’ll also have the option to get feedback on what the researchers learn. Make sure you fill it out soon to get the voucher!
Please note – the voucher will be sent within two-three weeks after you have filled out the survey. [Sorry, the survey is no longer active.]
We still have a number of requests for volunteers, but I'm not yet clear about several of the recent requests. Amongst the older one are ...
- ---- would appreciate someone to visit her. She is in a wheelchair, and can't get out of her flat on her own. If you can't visit, then a phone call would make a difference.
- ---- would like someone to ring him - preferably someone interested in motorcycles, or the massive vehicles you get on building sites, but right now he is keen to talk with anyone.
If you would like to join the Whatsapp group, just say - I don't send out many messages.
As always, thank you very much in advance for your help. And if you have any questions or need any support in what you are doing, do let me know.
All the best,
Paul.
