Pendle's Community Hub helps over 300 people isolated due to coronavirus pandemic

Packing boxes are Rashid Hussain, Project Manager at Inspiring Grace, and Laura Jackson, Pendle Leisure Trust's Events Coordinator.Packing boxes are Rashid Hussain, Project Manager at Inspiring Grace, and Laura Jackson, Pendle Leisure Trust's Events Coordinator.
Packing boxes are Rashid Hussain, Project Manager at Inspiring Grace, and Laura Jackson, Pendle Leisure Trust's Events Coordinator. | other
Pendle’s new Community Hub has helped over 300 people since it opened less than two weeks ago in a move to co-ordinate support for the most vulnerable residents during the coronavirus outbreak.

With the hub designed to help residents without a circle of friends or family nearby, people can drop off food donations in bags outside the ACE Centre which will then be collected by volunteers from Inspiring Grace and staff from The ACE Centre, who will be inside making up the food parcels for isolated residents as well as delivering prescriptions.

With Pendle Council also working in partnership with the Pendle Leisure Trust and Burnley, Pendle, and Rossendale Council for Voluntary Service, the Pendle Community Hub can also get vulnerable people help for dog walking, support for mental health issues and dealing with social isolation and loneliness, as well as financial and debt advice.

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“We are really pleased to be supporting Pendle Council and playing our part in helping the local community during this very difficult time," said Alison Goode, Chief Executive of Pendle Leisure Trust. “I am very proud of my staff who have been doing a brilliant job working in the support hub helping some of the borough’s most vulnerable residents.

“We have a dedicated team, including reception staff, beauty therapists, and swimming and gym instructors, answering phone calls and emails seven days a week for the last two weeks," Alison added, with such employees taking calls and emails and matching people up with the support they badly need.

Coun. Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: "I’d like to thank everyone who has got the hub up and running so quickly; it’s already making such a difference to people during this crisis. And a big thank you to Inspiring Grace volunteers and to local people who are helping us to deliver food and prescriptions, which are the main requests the hub is getting.”

To help in the crisis, Pendle Council is also trying to reduce the volume of calls into its Contact Pendle Centre, with Councillor Iqbal adding: “Contact Pendle is getting hundreds of calls a day and we are short-staffed because of the crisis. Please leave our phone lines free for vulnerable customers who are most in need of our support, and use our online services instead."

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If you, or a vulnerable person you know, could do with some help please call 01282 661 743 or email [email protected] or fill in an online form via www.pendle.gov.uk/communitysupporthub.

The hub is open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays (including over Easter). Food donations can be dropped off at the ACE Centre on Wednesdays between 10.30 and 11.30am. Items needed include tinned food, pasta, rice, cereal, coffee, baby food, and pet food.

Any organisation, business or individual who’d like to support vulnerable people in Pendle can fill in our offer of help form via www.pendle.gov.uk/communitysupporthub or email [email protected] and if the hub can match your offer of support they will be in touch as soon as possible.

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