Community proving a lifeline for vulnerable residents in Eastbourne and Lewes

The community hub set up by Eastbourne and Lewes councils to help the most vulnerable people through the Covid-19 corona crisis is proving to be ‘a lifeline for anyone without the support of friends and family’, according to the two authorities.
Margaretbannister and Annie Wills SUS-200904-194257001Margaretbannister and Annie Wills SUS-200904-194257001
Margaretbannister and Annie Wills SUS-200904-194257001

Council staff were mobilised and redeployed from their normal day-to-day duties to ensure the hub was quickly up to full strength and able to help the maximum number of residents experiencing financial hardship or vulnerability.

From staff in council run theatres sorting food parcels to tourist information advisers working on a new Covid-19 email and telephone support line, the two councils say officers are busy around the clock helping local communities through the emergency.

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The teams handling essential food supplies will soon reach 10,000 parcels packed, with thousands delivered to foodbanks for those in severe financial hardship and the most vulnerable, and more than 1,000 Covid-19 calls and emails answered.

To ensure the people who are most vulnerable get the help they need, the council is reminding residents who have the support of family and friends for food, shopping and medicines, or who can arrange their own food deliveries in other ways to not contact them at this time.

Eastbourne council leader David Tutt said, “I want to thank our staff for their incredible efforts at a time of national crisis. In just nine working days the achievements have been extraordinary and residents who don’t have anyone else to rely on are getting the support they desperately need.

“I must also thank people who are looking after friends and family at this time, by doing so they are helping the council to focus on our most vulnerable who don’t have anyone.”

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The council’s customer contact advisers will be answering Covid-19 calls and emails between 10am and 4pm on Good Friday, Saturday and Bank Holiday Monday.

Neighbourhood First officers are also be on standby to deliver emergency food parcels.

Councillor Tutt said, “I would also like to pay tribute to our voluntary sector, in particular Adam Chugg and his team at 3VA, who are doing a superb job coordinating all the fantastic people who have volunteered in Eastbourne.”