Voluntary groups and support have appeared throughout the SG8 area, to help those in our community who need support.

Royston and District Community Transport have created a self-isolating resource of support groups and deliveries of essential items. Click to download it here.

Community Support Groups During Coronavirus

Royston vs Coronavirus

If anyone in Royston and surrounding villages needs any support with shopping, chores or more, please ask on the Royston vs Coronavirus support group.

This group of co-ordinated volunteers will help with shopping, prescriptions, pet walking, a friendly chat and more for elderly and vulnerable people based in Royston who are self-isolating.

If you are fit an well and can offer any support, then please do the same.

http://bit.ly/RoystonVsCoronavirus

You an also email for help roystonvscoronavirus@gmail.com

Burns Road Heroes

If you are elderly or have health issues then you might be considering isolating yourself to avoid coronavirus. To do this, you might want to buy your groceries online with the home delivery option. If this is your situation and you live in the Burns Road estate then Burns Road Heroes can help.

If you want help setting up an online account with a local grocer then call us. If the ‘home delivery’ slots are booked up then agree a time with us when we can collect the groceries for you through the ‘click and collect’ option. We will do this for free. Together we can help you stay safe.
If you live in the Burns Road estate and you want to be someone’s hero or if you need a hero to help you then, please, call Richard on 07935 706793 or call Rebekah on 07714 373785

Alternatively, print this note of #ViralKindness and drop it through a neighbour’s door

Royston Community Transport

Passengers for essential travel only – 01763 245228,

Lines open 9am-3pm Monday – Friday

We will also help with prescription deliveries and food shopping, including collecting ‘Click & Collect’ where possible

Royston Town Council services

Town Hall – 01763 245484 opening hours Mon-Fri 9am-4pm

Town Clerk town.clerk@roystontowncouncil.gov.uk

Hertfordshire Careline – Community pendant alarm service Telephone: 0300 999 2 999 Email: careline@north-herts.gov.uk

Village organisations offering help

Barkway Hub – Jennie Cox 07976 823497

There is a list of volunteers who will do shopping, prescriptions or any other essential tasks for villagers who cannot get out. In the first instance please call the co-ordinator, Jennie (number above).

Barley Assistance

Barley Parish Council, Barley Church, Granta Medical Practice and local Barley residents have come together to help and support villagers over the weeks and months ahead in response to the Corona Virus. If you find yourself in need of a helping hand and are self-isolating for whatever reason please email barley.assistance@gmail.com or contact one of the village co-ordinators:

Shaftenhoe End (Bogmoor Road and all offshoots) – Andrew Sims 01763 849299

High Street (Bankside, Lower Farm Barns, Bakers Lane) – Shoshana Wybrow 01763 848979

London Road & Smith’s End Lane (Crossways, Greenbury Close, The Mount) – Mel Chammings 01763 848991

Cambridge Road and Picknage Road (King Edgars’s Yard) – Ali Hearn 01763 849979

Church End, Shaftenhoe End Lane to Lovely View (Pudding Lane, School Lane, Farriers) – Jane Hart 01763 848459

The Revd Canon Ruth Pyke – 01763 848756

Barley Parish Council Clerk – Melanie Chammings 07713 837086 barley.parishclerk@gmail.com

Facebook page search ‘Barley Assistance’.

Bassingbourn cum Kneesworth Help Group – Claire Ives 07496 084509

Offering shopping orders and collection, a friendly chat, animal care inc dog walking, posting mail, collecting repeat prescriptions, urgent supplies for those living in or near Bassingbourn.

You can also email bassingbournhelpers@gmail.com

Bassingbourn pharmacy is now closed 12-2pm

Nuthampstead support Group

Supported by the Parish Council

Contact Geoff Hodge geoffhodge@outlook.com

Orwell self-help group – run by Maggie Galan 01223 207307

or email maggiegalan@hotmail.com

Melbourn Coronavirus Community Response – 01763 263303 (option 1)

Co-ordinated through Melbourn Hub they may be able to assist with maintaining social contact, collecting prescriptions, essential shopping.

Local business remaining open include:

Leech and Sons – 01763 260255. Can order and pay by phone. Not offering delivery.

Bury Lane Farm Shop – 01763 260418 (option 1) Can order and pay by phone. Can deliver.

Melbourn Co-op – 01763 268329 Normal shopping system only

Fieldgate Nurseries – 01763 260737. Can order and pay by phone. Can deliver.

Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support – Susan van de Ven (County Councillor) 07905 325574 or Phillipa Hart (District Councillor) 07811 323571

Will organise help with essential food, collecting prescriptions, walking the dog/pet care, posting mail, a friendly phone call. Just call or text and they’ll do their best to help you (for FREE). More information about this will be published soon in Meldreth Matters.

There is also a Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/MeldrethCoronavirusCommunitySupport/

Or you can email susanvandeven5@gmail.com or philippajoyhart@gmail.com

Reed Parish Council – 01763 877590

Offering support for Reed villagers needing food and medicine, hospital and doctor’s appointments, collecting books from the library, collecting parcels, someone friendly to chat to. Telephone the number above or email contact@reedparishcouncil.co.uk

There is also a Reed Covid19 Support WhatsApp Group. Join by sending a text to 07909 524986 and a Facebook group; search for Reed Coronavirus Support Group.

Therfield Village Support Group (managed by Therfield Parish Council) – 07562 243956

Offering door to door delivery services and help with shopping, pet supplies, prescriptions or just to chat to a friendly voice for Therfield residents.

Thriplow Community Response Team

There is a list of local people who are willing to do shopping. For more information or to ask for help contact elizabeth.williams3579@gmail.com).

Clerk to Thriplow Parish Council – Martyn Corbet 01223 839546 parishclerk@thriplow.org.uk

Useful Contacts

NHS Non-Emergency number: 111

For mental health advice, please visit Mind: www.bit.ly/MindCOVID19

For advice regarding money, debt, employment and housing: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

If you need someone to talk to, the Samaritans will listen
www.samaritans.org or call 116 123

National Domestic Abuse Helpline
24-hour freephone, 0808 2000 247
www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk

For the latest news: www.bbc.co.uk/news

For the latest Government advice regarding coronavirus: www.bit.ly/PublicHealthEngland2020

HMRC helpline for the self employed and businesses: www.gov.uk/business-support-helpline 0300 456 3565

For local support with food and supplies:
Royston Food Bank at Royston Evangelical Church from 9-11am, Weds & Sat, or you can donate food & supplies to the Food Bank at McColl’s and the Roman Catholic Church as well as at Royston Evangelical Church

Royston Coronavirus Facebook support group: www.bit.ly/RoystonVsCoronavirus

Burns Road Heroes: Richard, 07935 706793 or Rebekah, 07714 373785

When you are out shopping for essentials, do follow the Safe Shopping Guidelines from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health