Our 40-something neighbourhood watch coordinator has organised a network of local non-old, non-vulnerable volunteers who will do shopping for those who are old and/or vulnerable. She emailed us to make sure we knew about it.
Best
There are a number of Facebook groups networking people locally who are prepared to help. A positive development in the current panicky scenario of each for themselves
I’m not really a social media person (fora aside) which is where it falls down for me.
I’ve had a few unsolicited letters through the door about various ‘community web based groups’ - not knowing much about these things and being rather private I’ve avoided them.
Perhaps school/social/sporting/religious connections are there to be used as they are generally local.
A volunteer group was started on Facebook here, with people saying what they could do. The local council now has a formal register starting, that’s been advertised on the volunteer page and the largest community Facebook page.
A lady from up our street knocked today, with a leaflet saying that help with shopping etc was available and provided by neighbours, for those residents who may be struggling. A lovely initiative.
Contrast that with the “me first, me only” shelf-strippers.
An hour or so my neighbour knocked on the door, he knows I live alone, wanted to swap mobile numbers and make sure I knew if I had to self-isolate he and Louise would go shopping for me and do anything else I needed. What a lovely bloke.
Not meaning to bring a negative tone to this, but the situation brings a risk of also bringing out the evil in society, and there will be those who prey on the vulnerable, knocking on the door, offering to help - and taking their money. It is worth warning those who are vulnerable to exercise caution as always.
But fortunately I think this sort of thing does bring out the best in community spirit, and that indeed is something to about which to marvel in the human condition. Even little things - I found the images of Italians singing from their windows uplifting, and the Spaniards applauding the medics brought a tear to the eye.
We have a local chemist.
One of the ladies in store offered to come round after her shift and drop through our letterbox a prescription for a non vital item because she lives just down the road.
Community spirit lives strong in communities, but takes courage in places larger when being anonymous is normal.