MANY support groups have popped up over the past week as communities fight against the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
With so many groups forming, an Oxford-based charity has decided to make it easier for people to find out where their closest support group is.
KEEN Oxford has set up a website called Oxfordshire All In for co-ordinating all coronavirus neighbourhood support groups across the county.
The site maps where the groups are, puts people in touch with them who ask for help and uses the local groups to reach out to those who may not be connected online or informed.
It wants to cover the county with groups ‘road by road’ and its goal is to double the number of people volunteering with a community support group across the county from an estimated 8,000 to 16,000.
So far, 57 groups have joined the charity's initiative and others can get involved and be put on the map by signing up online.
The newly-formed Oxfordshire Additional Needs Partnership feeds into this initiative as well.
Its objective is to ensure all individuals and supported living/care homes are not left out during this challenging period.
Oxfordshire All In is looking for local support groups to register and wants individuals to use the map to find their nearest group.
It doesn’t take a lot of people to form a group as couple, Katie and Chris Spragg, have taken it upon themselves to help their neighbours in Grove and Wantage.
They have set up a group on Facebook which volunteers have joined who deliver groceries, items or any other service that people are in need of.
Residents who are self-isolating can join the group and request a helping hand and the couple have posted cards with information for those who are not online.
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Mrs Spragg said: “We’ve had a fair bit of response, mainly calls and messages to say thank you for the card and offer of help. One of our members has had five people call her and says helping people gives her a ‘warm fuzzy feeling inside’.”
Mrs Spragg says one of the most popular requests from people is collecting prescriptions.
Dog walking is another common need as well as paracetamol.
She added: “Chatting on facebook, phone calls, messaging and popping out to pick a pint of milk or a prescription. We will do whatever it takes until we are able to see each other face-to-face again.
"Many members joined looking for reassurance in case they run out of anything or struggle with loneliness.
“I believe we are in this for a long run. It’s still early days, we still have supplies, many people are still working and feeling well.
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“In the good old days you’d rely on your neighbour. Everyone knew everyone’s names, everyone helped each other and people lived in a tight knit community. We don’t have it anymore.
“In these times, where social distancing plays such an important role, we want to bring the community together.”
If you would like to put your support group on the map, go to www.oxfordshireallin.org.
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