The Parish Council has arrangements in place with two local foodbank operations to help anyone in the village that needs support. The services are free of charge.

Towcester Food Bank, run by the Trussell Trust

Towcester Food Bank will make food parcels available on Tuesdays 12 noon to 2pm or Fridays 10am to 12 noon. If you have difficulty in collecting the parcel please let John Scott, the Parish Clerk know and he will arrange collection on your behalf. John's details are at the start of this letter.

To qualify for these Towcester Food Bank parcels, you must be someone "who cannot afford to buy food" Towcester Food Bank asks that you complete a form to say why you are eligible for a food parcel. The form is available from John Scott. If you contact John, he can arrange for a blank form to be dropped off at your house. Once you have completed the form please send it back to John or ask for John to arrange for the form to be picked up from your house. There will be an online form available in the coming week or so. When you complete the form, you will need to state why you need the food parcel. The form contains several categories which you can see on the Parish Council website by using the following link, but one is important and that is you will be responsible for checking all ingredients in response to allergens.

Www.shutlangerparishcouncil.org.uk/Foodbank

You will be asked to complete a form for each food parcel you receive.

SNFEA (SOFEA)

The Parish Council working through SOFEA, a charity, is making food parcels available each Wednesday. These SOFEA food parcels will be delivered to the village by the SOFEA coordinators. Once the SOFEA food parcels arrive in the village they will be delivered to people's homes by Shutlanger volunteers.

The information the Parish Council has been given is that each parcel will contain:

1 premade box. We have been told that premade boxes are made in advance in the warehouse.

1 bag of premade fruit and vegetables (if available). We have been told that (if available) fruit and veg are made in advance in the warehouse.

1 loaf of bread (if available).

SOFEA asks that you complete a form to say why you are eligible for a food parcel. This is a different form to the Towcester Food Bank form. The SOFEA form is also available from John Scott. If you contact John, he can arrange for a form to be emailed to you or a printed copy dropped off at your house. To help you, the Parish Council has already completed some of the questions on this form on your behalf. Once you have completed the SOFEA form please send it back to John or ask for John to arrange for the form to be picked up from your house.

To qualify for these parcels, you should fit in to at least one of several categories, these are available on the Parish Council website, to view these please follow the link below.

www.shutlangerparishcouncil.org.uk/foodbank

SNFEA Membership Criteria

By accepting a food parcel, you become a member of the SOFEA scheme. There is no cost to this membership. The membership criteria are also on the website, but one is important and that is you will be responsible for checking all ingredients in response to allergens.

This is a new process to many if not all of us and we want to help people through it, to get what they need from the Towcester Food Bank and SNFEA. Please do ask John or our volunteers for help if you are not sure what to do, and we will find out for you if we do not yet know. These are very difficult times and we invite everyone to take up these offers, if they need to.

If you need any other support, please do not hesitate to contact us on:

07738 760618

clerk@shutlangerparishcouncil.org.uk

help@shutlangerparishcouncil.org.uk

Dear Resident of Shutlanger,

Shutlanger Parish Council is coordinating a parish-wide response to the Covid-19 Corona Virus emergency based on the latest guidance issued by Public Health England. Our response is to provide a safety net for residents who may need help, for people homeworking, or being advised to self-isolate.

If you are self-isolating or need any assistance during the Coronavirus Covid-19 emergency just let us know. We can help!

WHAT IS PROPOSED

As existing social and individual care plans are put under pressure, it is likely that community-based networks will increasingly be used to provide local support for those that need it. At the time of writing for example, families displaying Covid-19 symptoms will need to self-isolate and the government has recommended self-isolation for people over the age of 70 and those with underlying health issues, or who are pregnant.

As such, many Parish Councils are reaching out to their residents to provide vital support for those that may need it during the Covid-19 emergency. It is not intended to replace any measures that you have already put in place (such as home deliveries organised at the Village Stores or through another provider) including the delivery of medicines. Rather, by letting us know of your needs, you can feel safe in the knowledge that you have a back-up mechanism in the unlikely event that your existing arrangements are compromised in some way.

It may be that you have not made any provision for home delivery of food and other supplies before self-isolation – in this case just send us your details and we can help. It also allows for volunteers to help residents find a solution for any needs that are totally unexpected during self-isolation (such as a burst water pipe, a lawn that needs cutting or a broken boiler) that under the circumstances could be particularly stressful. It also provides a mechanism for residents to simply talk to someone if they are feeling lonely.

Public Health England has advised for everyone to ensure that they plan for every eventuality during the Covid-19 emergency even if you may not consider that you are at risk now. It is unclear how the situation will develop with time. For example, you may already have someone that you can rely on to help you as you self-isolate but they themselves may have to self-isolate at some point leaving you in a vulnerable position. We can offer you a safety net.

For the Parish Council to co-ordinate their response, we need to know who may need our help and what assistance you require. We are therefore asking residents to contact us if you are in one of the following groups or let us know if you are aware of someone that may need our help:

• People aged over 70 who are self-isolating
• Vulnerable people of all ages who rely on others for their care
• People who are sick or have long term illnesses or health conditions
• People who live alone
• People with mental health problems
• Families with children or pregnancy
• Those that are feeling lonely or isolated

HOW TO CONTACT US

• The Parish Council has set up a dedicated email address help@shutlangerparishcouncil.org.uk
• A phone number with an answer phone will be checked daily and can be reached

on 07738 760618 (The Clerk)

• Through the Parish website contact form:

contact-us.html

WHAT INFORMATION WE NEED FROM YOU

We will need your name, address and contact details. It would also be useful to have details of your next of kin and emergency contact numbers although this is down to you. We need to know what your current situation is and what help you may need assistance with. It would also be useful to know whether you have someone helping you at the moment (this could be a friend, an on-line retailer or a family member) and whether you are caring for anyone else at the moment.

The Parish Council would like to reassure you that your information will not be shared with anyone else and will only be used for the purposes of providing for your needs if and when you require help.

HOW WE WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE

It is proposed to update residents by the following means:

• Letters dropped off with your supplies and deliveries
• The Parish Council and Community websites
• The Parish Facebook page

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

The Parish Council needs volunteers to help us deliver our response. If you would like to help in any way, please do contact us by any of the ways provided for in this letter. We will need help in the following areas: runners for home delivery, picking up shopping, a friendly phone call, posting mail, collection and delivery of medicines and assistance running vital parish voluntary groups that may be affected by self-isolation.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

If you are self-isolating or in need of help due to COVID-19, we can help you by:

Picking up shopping A friendly phone call Posting mail Urgent supplies

Picking up medicines Anything else ………………………………………………………

Just call, email or drop us a note and we will do our best to help you!

Don't forget to give us your contact details including an email or telephone number.

A copy of the Councils Contingency Plan is available on the below link.