Compassionate Community Connection
Salisbury City Council and Wessex Community Action (WCA) have launched the Salisbury Community Support scheme for people to sign up to if they wish to support members of the community and also, if they, or someone they know, needs help.
The type of help people will need might be anything from fetching their shopping while they are housebound and isolated, to walking their dogs, to providing a friendly ear and befriending over the phone. People of all ages are in need of help, and people from all walks of life are answering the call.
WCA and the City Council want to ensure that there is good coordination and matching between people wanting to volunteer and those in need of support.
Our aim is to set up an easily accessible online register for the community who sign up to help or to request help. Once we have this information, we can match those in need with existing local neighbourhood groups where already set up, or to match volunteers to groups or individuals seeking support.
We will not be vetting volunteers, but we will be checking to see if they are DBS checked and/or seeking references. We will be issuing guidelines for our registered volunteers to follow.
You can register here to be part of the Salisbury Community Support scheme https://bit.ly/communityvolunteerform
The NHS also launched their volunteer responders page. You can sign up to NHS Volunteer Responders who are supporting the NHS during the covid-19 outbreak. This is a separate national scheme targeting support to 1.5 million people in England at most risk from the virus due to their medical conditions. These two volunteering schemes will need to run alongside each other as not everyone in need will be covered by the NHS scheme.
If you are a business and your staff would like to take part in the Salisbury Community Support scheme please to register using the link above.
If you are a community group and are seeking support and guidance on how to safely support volunteers and residents, please do get in contact with WCA 01722 326822 or email info@wessexcommunityaction.org.uk
If you don’t have access to the internet but still wish to be involved, please ring the Wessex Community Action Team who will be available to take your call Mon-Fri 10.00 -12.00am and 1.00pm -2.00pm (01722 326822), you can also ring the City Council Team Mon – Fri 10.00am-4.00pm (01722 342860) – please be patient as there are limited call takers available to take your call. You can also write the City Council, at The Guildhall, Salisbury, SP1 1JH.
Cllr Jeremy Nettle, Leader of Salisbury City Council said “I strongly encourage all those that need help locally, now or maybe in the next few weeks, to sign up to this register. That way we can work out how best to look after you in the community. If you wish to volunteer to help sign up now and get involved and if you are a community group, new or established please get in contact with WCA so we can all work together.”
Amber Skyring, Chief Executive Officer of WCA said “Volunteers have never been more important nor more valuable to the local community, please do sign up to get involved, and if you think you need help now, know somebody who needs help get in contact as soon as you can. Please spread the word and together we can care for our local community”
