Selsey comes together to celebrate pandemic heroes

Selsey Town Council at the Annual Town Meeting thanked all Selsey’s volunteers who came together as a community during the height of the pandemic to help those in need of assistance and to the volunteers who have continued to do this. SUS-220405-103013001

Recognition was handed out to all volunteers and key workers that had been on the fron line helping out those in need during the pandemic and that also continue to provide essential sercives in the community.

Selsey Town Council’s Chairman Cllr Andrew Brown stated: “Selsey Town Council is honoured to recognise and celebrate the phenomenal work of Selsey’s volunteers and community groups.

“To shine a spotlight on Selsey’s heralded model of community togetherness to such a large audience on the evening will, we hope, empower many more volunteers for the benefit of Selsey.

“The Town Council’s mission is to engage with its residents, businesses, educational and community organisations to encourage an environmentally robust, healthy, and prosperous town. Ultimately to enable a socially inclusive, caring community resulting in collective responsibility and social mobility for all.”

Jenna Ayling on behalf of the NHS told the packed Selsey Centre arena that over 30,000 covid vaccines had been delivered in Selsey.

She stated: “Working at The Selsey Centre has definitely been a highlight of my career, shaped by the wonderful staff and volunteers that worked alongside me. “We were also featured in The Daily Mail as one of the top five sites in the country.

“I want to thank Michaela, Rachel and Sam for all their support here and Jenny Ririe, Selsey Town Council’s Deputy Clerk for getting things moving. The program has really brought out the best in Selsey and it was a pleasure to be a part of it.”

Karen Pirks on behalf of the Selsey Community Forum spoke in depth of the Town’s fantastic Buddy System. Shared all the hard work of Selsey Care Shop, who amongst many things registered and processed over 140 volunteers during the first lockdown and how the Buddy legacy continues today.

Amongst many other community initiatives for Selsey, the Community Care Forum is supporting the Ukraine Lifeline Project as a drop off point whilst enabling fundraising and connections to local Ukrainian speaking people.

Lisa Lyons on behalf of Full Up - nutritious meals 4 kids shared the fact that her organisation provided hot, nourishing meals to impoverished children in Selsey in the October half term of 2020.

With support of volunteers from one of the businesses that she runs, as well as from Selsey Town Council, hot meals were delivered to children, between 4 – 4.30pm in the holiday periods up to the February half term.

Lisa stated: “We couldn’t do what we do without the funding and time from Selsey Town Council and I have to say a huge thank you to Donna Johnson, who pointed me in the direction of Grant Funding which allowed me to have the financial support of Selsey Town Council.

“Thank you also for giving up your time and becoming a delivery driver.

“Thank you also to Christian Skelton for producing our logo, free of charge.

“I really did call out on a lot of favours. All delivery drivers gave up their time and paid for their own petrol. Thank you.

“To see the delight and the thanks from the children and their families and what a massive difference it made to them, has been so rewarding.

“If anyone would like to volunteer or get involved in the future, then please do get in touch.”