Statement from Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder Safer and Stronger Communities, North East Lincolnshire Council

We are working hard with our partners to coordinate the response. We have contingency plans in place to keep essential services running – that means looking after the elderly, the vulnerable, children, as well as delivering our street services such as emptying bins. We are also working closely with central government and the health service to cope with whatever contingency plans are needed. The important thing is that we work together as a community to keep North East Lincolnshire running.

You can sign up for local digital updates for the latest on our Coronavirus response https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/COVID-19-notifications

Protecting everyone in North East Lincolnshire is our utmost priority, particularly the most vulnerable. We are all working closely across the public, community and voluntary sectors to offer advice and support and to get help to people who need it. If you are concerned about anyone locally or you need help yourself, please contact:

• For medical advice on COVID-19 or if symptoms have worsened visit https://111.nhs.uk/ or call 111
• North East Lincolnshire Council – for information on changes to council services to https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/ . If you aren’t online, call (01472) 313131
• If you are worried that someone is a victim of crime please call Humberside Police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
• North East Lincolnshire Single Point of Access – if it is not a 999 emergency but you have medical, health (not COVID-19 related) mental health or social care enquiries or directing to local support services – 01472 256256.
• In any emergency situation please call 999.

We have witnessed an amazing community response to the challenges created by COVID-19 and there are so many local people and groups volunteering to support with the effort locally or asking how they can get involved. We are working to get all of this information in one place so we can best co-ordinate community and voluntary sector activity across North East Lincolnshire. Working together is our best way through the challenges now and ahead.  

If you are considering setting up a group of local volunteers to help neighbours please check online to see if any local groups have already been set up, and contact them first. Alternatively, contact your local community centre or charity to see if you can support their work.  If you still plan to set something up, and need advice and guidance on issues like safety, volunteering and data protection, you can contact Sector Support North East Lincolnshire. Sector Support are funded by North East Lincolnshire Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group and are helping to co-ordinate community and voluntary sector activity. They can be contacted on 07572 896859 (Amy Hallett) or 07791 040433 (Pippa Robson), or email amy@nbforum.org.uk. Their website is https://www.sectorsupportnel.org.uk/

If you are already involved in a community group that is helping to support older, vulnerable or isolated people during the COVID-19 response, please let us know about the support you can offer and the resources you need by completing this survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/XPYF7BG Businesses that want to offer their support are also welcome to complete the survey or get in touch with Sector Support.

Individuals who would like to help but do not know of any local groups or activities, can register at www.bluelightsbrigade.co.uk. Blue Lights Brigade are supporting the effort across the borough and will make sure that you are linked in to the local effort and volunteering opportunities and needs near you. 

Bringing all of this information together will allow us to collate all of this information, allowing us to organise a better response between us all (public, voluntary and community sectors) and work in a more coordinated way. 

We thank everyone for their help at this time.

Other contact information

• NHS 111 - 111.nhs.uk or call 111 if you cannot get help online - for health information and advice
• Citizens Advice North East Lincolnshire - info@advicenel.org.uk or 03444 111 444
• NHS Every Mind Matters website has some really simple useful tips and advice to support good mental health -       www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters
• The latest NHS guidance is available at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus 
• For national information and advice about employment, education, travel, public services and the Coronavirus situation in the UK visit https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
• Coronavirus advice is available (COVID-19) in other languages at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people
• North East Lincolnshire Women’s Aid –  (01472) 575757

Further notes for volunteers

If you are volunteering to help someone who is vulnerable or isolated, please take the below steps to make sure you do not contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

• if you feel at all unwell, do not volunteer
• wash your hands regularly with warm water and soap or antibacterial gel before and after you deliver any items to a person in isolation
• if you make a delivery, stay two metres away from anyone else at all times – ideally place any items outside of doors and then step away
• be careful about how you share personal information about yourself and other people - avoid sharing your or a vulnerable person's address and other contact information in public groups or documents
• try to support people who live close to you, so you don't travel larger distances