Lockdown support available in Scarborough borough

North Yorkshire residents who need support during the Covid-19 lockdown are being reassured that it will be there for them.

Support put in place by North Yorkshire County Council at the start of the first lockdown in March will continue throughout November and beyond.

At the same time, residents are encouraged to continue the kindness they have shown throughout the pandemic in helping vulnerable friends and neighbours.

County Council Chief Executive, Richard Flinton, said:

“This is an important moment for the county and the nation. We must take this opportunity to drive down the level of infection that we see across the county and nationally to come out the other side with significantly reduced rates to enable us to improve the way we live with the virus.

“In North Yorkshire, we have really strong communities and people who care for each other within them, for which we are hugely grateful. Whether you volunteer through a community support organisation or help a neighbour, you’re part of the Team North Yorkshire effort keeping our communities safe.

“There will be challenges, but I expect those small acts of kindness we have come to regard as the norm in North Yorkshire to carry on, with people looking out for neighbours.

“Alongside that, we have the organised volunteer effort with our 23 community support organisations, which have received additional funding from the county council. These have volunteers in place and provide another line of support for people across the county. We are also writing to people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and at higher risk of serious illness from coronavirus to reassure them that support is there where needed in every community.

“We are working together to make sure we all get through this together, and I have confidence in the people of North Yorkshire.”

Since March, the county council says it has worked with the county’s seven district and borough councils and community organisations across North Yorkshire to coordinate volunteer and community support, ensuring everyone who needs help has someone they can call on.

These hubs are a single point of contact within the community, pulling together other organisations to provide a safety net of support, which will be there for people during the November lockdown and beyond. More than 1,500 volunteers have been helping thousands of people every week with almost 23,000 bags of shopping, more than 22,000 hot meals and 13,000 prescriptions delivered since April.

In addition, they have been calling people every week to check on their general health and wellbeing as well as providing other support. More than 14,000 welfare calls and 17,000 befriending calls have been made since the start of the pandemic. Between them, community support organisation volunteers have clocked up more than 65,000 volunteering hours.

People who need support with shopping, prescriptions, caring for pets and other essentials are encouraged to contact family, friends, neighbours or groups to which they belong. North Yorkshire residents without those local networks, or anyone concerned about the welfare of someone else, can contact the county council’s customer service centre on 01609 780780. The centre is open seven days a week, 8am to 5.30pm.

Find details of other local voluntary and community groups offering support at www.northyorkshireconnect.org.uk.

Find local businesses offering food deliveries and takeaways in your area on the Buy Local directory at www.northyorks.gov.uk/buy-local.

If you are checking on neighbours and people in the communities who might need help and support during the lockdown, find advice on how to help safely at www.northyorks.gov.uk/how-you-can-help-during-coronavirus-covid-19

For more information about the help available, including a link to the latest Government advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable, go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/coronavirus.