Coronavirus: Acts of Kindness community charity looks to mobilise hundreds of volunteers to support vulnerable residents

Acts of Kindness Community Solent is joining forces with Age UK, Citizens Advice and a band of willing volunteers to put together a network of support for vulnerable groups in Fareham and Gosport who face ‘months in isolation’.

Charity founder, Kerry Snuggs, 41, said: ‘We are looking to promote a co-ordinated response to the coronavirus situation. Elderly people and other vulnerable groups need help in getting food, medicines and running errands.

‘Fareham alone has eight per cent of the population who are classed as elderly. We are going to need to mobilise hundreds of people.’

The action group has categorised people into red, amber and green categories with those over 70, residents with underlying medical conditions and pregnant women classed as ‘most at risk’ down to people ‘choosing to self-isolate over fear of infection’.

Kerry added: ‘For those most at risk we would aim to respond within two hours while people categorised as amber we would look to support within 24 hours.’

As well as providing practical help the group will also look to offer social support to help people deal with being in isolation.

Initiative co-ordinator, Courtney Hartley, 25, said: ‘While we can’t physically go and sit with people we can provide social support by delivering letters along with books and puzzles.

‘Some of our volunteers will also be phoning people so they can have a chat and don’t feel cut off. We are also looking to provide laptops so people can stay in touch via things such as Skype.’

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Citizens Advice will also be providing a team of volunteer advisers to offer guidance as to how to deal with the financial impact of the pandemic.

Representative, Jacqui Smart, said: ‘This is going to have a massive impact on people’s jobs, mortgages and debt repayments. We can inform people of their rights and the correct process to go through.’

The action group are going to appoint team leaders to different areas of Gosport and Fareham who will work with a band of at least 10 volunteers who can provide help to those in need.

To galvanise volunteers, the group has enlisted the support of the Facebook Fareham and Gosport Coronavirus Volunteer Group.

Founder Vicki Rowe-Shawyer, 41, said: ‘We devised the group to use social media to help people support vulnerable neighbours. Within a few days we had 1,500 members.’

To join the support group go to the Facebook page or contact the charity email at [email protected]