The last year has been a time like no other and the pandemic has changed people’s daily lives. It highlighted more than ever that the most vulnerable people and charitable organisations in our communities need our support.
As the impact of the pandemic unfolded in March 2020, our priority was to divert much-needed resources to support our customers, colleagues and the community-based organisations that had been hit hardest. Our Resilience and Hardship Funds provided essential resources, and we worked closely with local authorities to develop emergency response provision.
Recognising that community groups and charitable organisations needed help, we set up our Resilience Fund which was shared out over two rounds. This made £130k available to enable vital community service provision to continue throughout the Covid recovery. Following an overwhelming response of applications, 32 well-deserved groups and organisations from across our five regions received a share of the fund.
The 32 partner groups that benefited from the cash injection supported our guiding principles for the Fund, ensuring our customers had access to the support they needed. Each of the organisations targeted one of the following key themes:
The Fund would not have been possible without the generous support of our partner organisations and suppliers (including Countryside, Connelly, Truline and Emanuel Whittaker) who together donated a staggering £85k, in addition to our £45k contribution.
Many of our customers and colleagues were severely impacted by the pandemic, falling ill themselves, shielding, taking on additional caring responsibilities, suffering bereavement or losing their employment.
In recognition of this, we contributed £35k to support the co-ordination of customer referrals to Local Authority Support Response Hubs.
We also:
One of our customers who we were able to support was someone we will call Rita, to keep her identity protected. Read Rita’s story here.
During the pandemic, we operated a Gold and Silver Command structure, ensuring strategic and operational preparedness and management of our response to Covid. This enabled us to work to Covid-secure guidelines, continue to carry out repairs, complete investment works and allocate properties to those in urgent need of re-housing.
We also:
It was essential that our customers, colleagues and stakeholders were kept fully informed of changes to service provision and the support available to them throughout the pandemic.
In addition to regular website and social media channel updates, we sent a weekly e-newsletter to over 12,000 customers to ensure they received the latest advice and guidance. We updated non-digital customers through letters, and provided leaflets and posters in communal areas and digital screens in our Independence and Wellbeing Schemes.
A dedicated area on our website included FAQs, Government guideline updates, risk assessments, changes to services and information about organisations providing employment, food provision, fuel support and befriending services for those feeling isolated.
