A Community Coordination Hub set up by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and its community partners to ensure vulnerable residents receive essential supplies is now in operation.
Distribution centres established at Newry Leisure Centre, Down Leisure Centre and Kilkeel Leisure Centre have received their first boxes of supplies from the Department for Communities, with the first deliveries to residents expected to be made this week.
Those in vulnerable groups seeking support can make contact on a Freephone Helpline between 9am to 5pm, seven days a week:
Freephone number: 0808 802 0020
Email: covid19@adviceni.net
Text: ACTION to 81025
The helpline is being managed by Advice NI, who are processing calls from across Northern Ireland. Calls relevant to the Council’s Community Coordination Hub will be passed on to the Council and its voluntary and community partners for action, including referrals from the Southern and South Eastern Health and Social Care Trusts.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Charlie Casey said, “The Council extends its sincere thanks to all the community groups, sports clubs and other local organisations and businesses across the district who have already offered their support in this emergency.
“The Council acknowledges that families, friends, neighbours and local organisations have all risen to this challenge in unprecedented ways.”
County Down Rural Community Network in Downpatrick, the Confederation of Community Groups in Newry and Community Advice Newry Mourne and Down are acting as lead organisations for the community groups involved in this response. These three bodies are communicating daily with all the organisations in the Council’s Strategic Stakeholder Forum as part of its Community Planning and response structures. Community organisations on the ground will be supporting the community coordination hub by way of personnel, vehicles, volunteers and coordination initially. That role may grow as required.
Any other volunteers who wish to assist in the delivery of food and supplies or ensure residents on their own at this time receive phone calls to help ease their isolation, are encouraged to register with Volunteer Now via their website.
Their Covid-19 #HelpEachOther campaign has been launched at https://www.volunteernow.co.uk/volunteering/ to refer volunteers to its Be Collective platform for opportunities. Organisations can also identify COVID 19 Volunteering requirements at: https://www.volunteernow.co.uk/organisations/
