Disability Partnership Calderdale have compiled a directory of outlets that deliver food to vulnerable individuals and local volunteer support groups in Calderdale.
About Disability Partnership Calderdale: Our aim is to improve the quality of life of disabled people in Calderdale, in particular, by working in partnership with service providers to maximise access to mainstream services for people with physical and sensory impairments. We hold regular membership meetings where people with disabilities are given a voice and an opportunity to influence policy and service delivery. Please visit our website for more about us and our work.
To further protect the NHS, the public and to reduce stretching resources during the Coronavirus outbreak, patients are temporarily advised not to visit their GP in person but to make telephone appointments.
If you need a GP appointment call your surgery – don’t go to your GP practice.
The Lawrence Batley Theatre is currently closed to help stop the spread of Coronavirus.
All shows, including Tea and Tour of the theatre as well as Jesus Christ Superstar have now been cancelled at least for the foreseeable future.
They very much hope to be able to resume with their usual shows soon.
Currently they are in communication with the company producing Jesus Christ Superstar – which they aspire to stage as their opening show once all of this is over!
For now, if you have booked a place, please contact the theatre directly.
Times are difficult and help is needed now more than ever. If you can offer any assistance, either in the way of food for the more vulnerable or by giving some of your time to the NHS, please follow these links:
Find food banks near you asking for help with donations.
With many of us having to work from home at present and the lack of going out options, despite this uncharacteristically lovely weather, there are still ways to incorporate some exercise in our daily routine.
Do you sit at a desk all day? Does your 9 to 5 leave no time for structured exercise..?
At these times especially it is crucial to keep active. This will help both with our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, in order to best cope with having to remain indoors.
As part of the local response to the measures linked to COVID-19, we are asking local voluntary and community sector organisations to share local intelligence with us in terms of what is happening on the ground and what you are seeing and hearing which we need to know and which we can respond to ensure vulnerable communities remain in view and supported.
A central volunteering hub has been established via the Council website: http://news.calderdale.gov.uk/council-sets-out-plan-to-co-ordinate-community-response-to-covid-19/
Plans are being now being developed for virtual locality based volunteering hubs to be developed to ensure we collectively keep people volunteering as local as possible. To enable this approach we would be grateful if you could review the following questions and respond back to the VSI Alliance regarding what is happening locally and what current volunteering capacity the sector has. We understand there are restrictions on movement, however we are looking at how volunteers can safely support people who are vulnerable at this time. The questions are as follows:
Gathering intelligence through our sector:
What is happening on the ground and what you are seeing and hearing which we need to know and which we can respond to ensure vulnerable communities remain in view and supported?
Do you have any needs we can help with?
Understanding need for and availability of volunteer capacity across localities in Calderdale:
Do you have any staff who currently cannot carry out their day job but would be able to support some volunteer activity to support vulnerable communities/people? Can you provide approximate numbers at this stage if you have staff available for volunteering activity?
Do you have volunteers who have been through the DBS checking service who could support needs at a locality level? If so, could you provide initially, the number of volunteers?
Do you need volunteers and if so what do you require them for?
We thank you in advance and please note that for all general support and enquiries the VSI Alliance team can be contacted on 01422 348777 or by emailing jayne.leech@vsialliance.org.uk.
VAC member webinar invitation to wider sector – 1 April
VAC are facilitating an opportunity for local Voluntary & Community groups in their membership to have a virtual meeting place to ensure we remain connected, ensure there is a platform for peer support and where we can discuss the current impact on the sector from COVID-19 and help each other to look at viable solutions to support the individuals and communities who rely on the invaluable services the VCS provides. We hope to be able to look at the themes as they emerge and to put in a collective emergency response to Local Government and Health: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/calderdale-vcs-coronavirus-peer-support-webinar-tickets-100393313102
We would also like to announce that as of close of play Wednesday 25th March 2020, the VAC building will be closed. Phone and email contact remains unaffected. For organisations that need to submit their accounts to Helen Galvin from WYCAS, please email Helen (helen.galvin@wycas.org.uk) who will make the necessary arrangements directly with organisations.
Good Practice for Working with People and Communities during the COVID-19 Outbreak
This short document has been produced by the NHS England and NHS Improvement Public Participation team. It is intended to offer some practical advice and suggestions for Engagement Practitioners and others working with people and communities during the COVID-19 outbreak.
COVID-19 £1 Million Foodbank Support
B&M appreciates that many households will be facing extreme hardship due to the current crisis. Each of their stores are authorised to provide a local foodbank with a £1,500 donation, so they can buy essential groceries, cleaning goods and toiletries.
If you are affected by any aspect of Domestic Abuse Calderdale’s Staying Safe team can help by providing telephone support including domestic abuse support, safety advice and access to legal advice. To access support please phone: 01422 323339 (9am-5pm Monday to Friday).
Please note that in In line with Government and Public Health advice we are not meeting clients face to face and our drop-in sessions in Todmorden and open access sessions at WomenCentre in Halifax are not currently running.
We will provide an update if the situation or advice changes. Please see our website for more information and for contact details for national domestic violence helplines: http://calderdalestayingsafe.org.uk/
The classes run by Curious Motion throughout the year have been cancelled for now but they are also moving online and from Tuesday next week they are running a ‘virtual coffee morning’ each week for anyone who would like to join.
This is particularly to support the group of people over 55 who usually attend our ‘Brews & Grooves’ class on a Tuesday morning and are likely to be self isolating for a significant period of time, but it is also open to anyone who wants to join.
To sign up for the coffee mornings email Sam for the info. This can be found on the Curious Motion website: www.curiousmotion.org.uk.
Virtual Coffee mornings will run every Tuesday at 10am.
